Cherry tomato, garlic & thyme risotto

Ingredients

50 grams butter

1 to 1 ½ cups dry white wine

1 cup VIalone Nano or other type of risotto

Olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

20 ‘date’ cherry tomatoes or 30 regular round cherry tomatoes

Leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme

Salt, fresh ground black pepper

70 grams grated parmesan

60 mls crème fraiche – optional

Method

Melt the butter in a pan over medium high flame and fry the risotto, stirring to ensure they are completely coated.  Add a little salt and coarsely ground black pepper.  Simultaneously, boil water in the electric kettle.

Add a half cup of white wine to the pan and mix until absorbed by the risotto.  Repeat.  This can be repeated a third time if you wish.

Pour about 1/3 cup boiling water into the pan and cook on low-medium flame until fully absorbed by the risotto.  Continue adding small amounts of water until the risotto is sufficiently soft but not mushy.

While doing this, heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan.  Fry the slices of garlic until lightly golden.  Add the tomatoes.  Allow them to lightly burn and a minute later begin gently mashing them in the pan with a hand held potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon.  Allow the tomatoes to release their juices, reduce the flame and add thyme leaves, salt, ground black pepper and stir.

If the risotto is soft enough (taste to check!) add the tomato mixture to them.  Stir and allow the tomato juices to be absorbed for several seconds.  Add a little crème fraiche (optional), parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.