Tomato Risotto with Basil Puree | Eataly Challenge

The risottos in Eataly: Contemporary Italian Cooking are some of our favorite dishes. We have made them for meals and sides. The Tomato Risotto with Basil Puree was one we decided to make as our main dish with fresh grilled shrimp!

After essentially wasting the first round of our recipe in a broken food processor (not fun) we were able to walk through the steps successfully… and slowly. The ripe plum tomatoes we picked up from the farm were very fresh. There is no question farm-fresh food maximizes the flavors in your dish.

Because the processing was such a disaster, we started photos after straining. What you’re seeing in the photo above is a mix of plum tomatoes, butter, and arborio rice. Our go-to is the Rice Select Arborio Rice. Though it’s sold out most places, you can find it at some specialty stores and small grocers.

The puree was interesting to make as the process involved putting basil leaves, ice cubes, and oil into a food process or blender. It was very simple and went smoothly… and by that I mean the food processor did not resist the mixture.

Cooking up a homemade risotto requires quite a bit of attention. The more you watch over, stir, and gradually at the water, the better your final dish will turn out. I have found the entire cooking process quite pleasant actually. The scent of the fresh tomato in this dish really brought the kitchen to life!

Our final dish had just the right texture. You could add extra fresh parmesan or puree depending on your flavor preferences. We paired the Plum Tomato Risotto with Basil Puree with a 2017 Coppola Director’s Pinot Noir. For $23 this is a wine you will definitely want to try with dinner one night.