Oven Baked Risotto
I have made this recipe many times and it is always a hit. I don't use the parmesan because my eldest does not like it. Cherry tomatoes come in a slightly larger pack of 250g and I use all of them. I don't use the wine either unless I happen to have a bottle open. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
I have made this recipe many times and it is always a hit. I don't use the parmesan because my eldest does not like it. Cherry tomatoes come in a slightly larger pack of 250g and I use all of them. I don't use the wine either unless I happen to have a bottle open. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
- Carbohydrate 62.07725 g
- Cholesterol 13.4375 mg
- Fat 5.531875 g
- Fiber 0.467500013113022 g
- Protein 5.313125 g
- Saturated Fat 3.34055 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (221g)
- Sodium 37.85 mg
- Sugar 61.609749986887 g
- Trans Fat 0.427074999999999 g
- Calories 326 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
- Fry the bacon pieces in an ovenproof pan or casserole dish for 3-5 mins until golden and crisp.
- Stir in the onion and butter and cook for 3-4 mins until soft.
- Tip in the rice and mix well until coated.
- Pour over the wine if using and cook for 2 mins until absorbed.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and the hot stock, then give the rice a quick stir.
- Cover with a tightly fitting lid and bake for 18 mins until just cooked.
- Stir through most of the Parmesan and serve sprinkled with the remainder.
Risotto rice relies entirely on starch release to achieve its signature creamy suspension, and short-grain varieties like arborio or carnaroli manage this best through direct heat transfer. Standard stovetop preparation demands constant stirring to encourage this starch, but thermal radiation inside a 200C oven handles the gelatinization uniformly without manual intervention.
Selecting the correct vessel prevents scorching along the base. An enameled cast-iron casserole dish with a heavy, tightly fitting lid retains moisture effectively and distributes heat evenly across the 18-minute baking window. Lighter aluminum pots can cause hotspots that burn the rice grains before the stock fully absorbs.
Substitutions alter the final moisture balance significantly. Omitting wine requires increasing the hot chicken stock by an equivalent volume to maintain the proper liquid ratio for the 300 grams of rice. Skipping the parmesan changes the sauce viscosity slightly, requiring a vigorous post-bake stir with the remaining butter to compensate for the lost dairy solids.
