Good for your soul

From the book, The Catholic Table by Emily Simpson Chapman

WOW! This is one of those recipes that you can’t believe how good it is! I will definitely make this again soon!

I made it according to the directions and it is an involved recipe. You start with fresh garlic in a sauce pan with olive oil. Cook until it turns golden brown and then remove from pan. You will then put the tomatoes into the hot oil you just took the garlic out of. Toss them in the hot oil. You have to cook them until they are tender enough to split when mashed with a spatula. You need to cook until they are totally wilted and smashed.

Because I have cooked tomatoes in the oven until they split (see my recipe for boursin sauce), the next time I make this, I’ll do this part in the oven. I’d suggest coating the tomatoes in olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and cook in the oven until they split open. In my other recipe, this took about 45 min in an oven 400 degrees. I think this will make the recipe easier with less steps, fewer pans and you can make the risotto while th tomatoes cook.

In a medium saucepan, you bring the chicken broth to a boil. In a large pot over medium heat, you cook the pancetta until the fat begins to render and the meat is crisp.

You add onion until it becomes translucent and then add in the cooked garlic from the beginning. Then add the risotto and toss to coat. You cook for one minute as the rice toasts.

Then you add the white wine and stir until the risotto begins to hiss. This is where it takes some time. You add one ladle full of broth at a time being careful not to add too much liquid. Stir continuously and allow the liquid to be absorbed before adding more liquid. This takes 20-30 minutes. The risotto should be creamy and just slightly firm to the bite. I kept tasting pieces to check. It took a long time, but when it was soft, it was obvious. When it’s ready, you probably used most, if not all of the broth. Remove the risotto from the heat. Stir in the mashed tomatoes and cheese. (It’s very cheesy, which I love. You can add less cheese if you don’t love really cheese dishes) Then add the fresh, chopped basil and stir. Serve immediatly. It’s amazingly yummy! Enjoy!