Tomato Risotto with Grilled Eggplant and Grana Padano Basil Oil

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Red Onion
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 250 g Arborio rice
• 800 ml vegetable broth
• 300 ml passata tomato
• 2 small eggplants
• Salt
• Pepper
• 100 g Grana Padano (grated)
• 1 handful basil (5 g)
• 150 g cherry tomatoes
• zest of ½ organic lemon

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel and finely chop the garlic and onion. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot, sauté garlic and onion over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add rice and cook another 2 minutes while stirring, deglaze with 50 ml broth and reduce by simmering. Warm remaining broth in a separate pot and gradually add passata tomato, stirring constantly and waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more.

2. 2.

   Clean, wash, and slice eggplants crosswise into ½ cm thick rounds. Brush with 2 tbsp oil and grill in a hot skillet over medium heat for 6–7 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper.

3. 3.

   Grate Grana Padano. Wash basil, shake dry, and chop. Cut tomatoes in half. Fold one third of the grated cheese into the risotto, seasoning with salt and pepper.

4. 4.

   Mix another third of the cheese with basil and remaining oil; season with lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

5. 5.

   Serve the risotto on four plates, arrange two eggplant slices per plate, drizzle with basil oil, and sprinkle with the remaining Grana Padano and cherry tomatoes.