Recipes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 dozen cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Sea salt
• 4 small zucchini, preferably green and yellow
• 5 to 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1-1/2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino romano
• 4 to 6 ounces burrata
• Cracked black pepper
• Small basil leaves, for garnish

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet, drizzle with 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss gently, then arrange the tomatoes cut side up and bake for 2 hours. They will be concentrated and slightly shriveled, but still moist. Set aside.

Grate the zucchini on the coarse holes of a box grater. Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan, then adjust the heat to keep it just below a simmer. Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot over medium hot. Add the onion and sauté until soft but not colored, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until it is hot to the touch, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and let it evaporate completely.

Begin adding the hot broth ½ cup at a time, stirring often and adding more broth only when the previous addition has been absorbed. After 10 minutes, stir in the zucchini. Continue adding hot broth until the rice is al dente and very creamy, 16 to 18 minutes total cooking time. You may not need all the broth. Season to taste with salt--if your broth was salted, you may not need any.

Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the grated cheese and a few grinds of black pepper. Divide among 4 bowls, scatter the cherry tomatoes around and put a slice of burrata on top. Sprinkle the burrata with cracked pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately.