Lately, we’ve been making tomato sauce like there is no tomorrow; maybe there is no tomorrow? Existential crisis/neurosis aside, our freezers are full of the stuff. When it’s winter, and fresh tomatoes taste like shite, we’ll be ever so glad of a never-ending supply of sauce for pasta. Or, we’ll just get sick of it and curse ourselves for clogging precious Doomsday prepping space with endless bloody tomato sauce. Anyway, whatevs. For a change of carbohydrate pace we’ve tinkered with tomato risotto and this was the result. Very yum if we say so ourselves, but not worth making with tasteless toms. So get on it now.

SERVES 4

800g ripe tomatoes (any sort; about 6 large)

1.325 litres (5⅓ cups) chicken stock, approximately

50ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, for drizzling

I large onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

125g streaky bacon, finely chopped

2½ tbsp tomato paste

300g (1 ⅓ cups) arborio, or other risotto rice

finely grated parmesan, to taste

basil leaves, torn, to taste

Roast tomatoes

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

1 tsp caster sugar

For the roast tomatoes, preheat the oven to 180˚C. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, in a small baking dish, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic, sprinkle with the sugar, then season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1-1½ hours, depending on how shrivelled and nicely charred you like them. 

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil for the tomatoes. Fill a large bowl with ice cold water. Using a small, sharp knife, remove the stem end from the tomatoes, then cut a small cross in the base of each. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the skins just begin to loosen. Using a slotted spoon, quickly remove the tomatoes to the bowl of iced water to cool. Drain well, then peel and coarsely chop. Transfer to a food processor or blender and process until a smooth liquid forms. Set aside.

Place the stock in a saucepan, bring to a simmer then cover and keep hot over low heat. 

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large, wide saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and a large pinch of salt, then cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the carrot and bacon then cook, stirring, for another 6 minutes or until the carrots soften. Add the rice and tomato paste, then stir for 2-3 minutes to heat through. 

Add about half the pureed tomatoes, bring to the boil, then cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until the liquid is very reduced and thickened. Half a cup at a time, stirring constantly and alternating with half cupfuls of the remaining tomato puree, add the chicken stock, cooking until the liquid has almost all been absorbed before adding more. You may not need all the stock. Conversely you may need a bit more; it depends how soupy you like your risotto and also how juicy your tomatoes are.

When the rice is cooked but still slightly al dente, season the risotto with salt and pepper, stir through as many torn basil leaves as you darn well prefer, then divide among bowls. Top with parmesan, the roast tomatoes, extra basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if you like.