Tomato Confit + Orzotto

I wish you could smell this… The method used in this dish is called risottatura, which in this case means cooking pasta as if it were pasta!

The tomato confit is multipurpise: perfect in pasta in pasta as pictured, but also excellent on toast, folded into eggs, spooned over chicken or fish, or stirred into other pasta dishes — make extra if you can.

Video versions of these recipes are at the end of the post!

Ingredients

No exact amounts — measure with your heart.

• Cherry or grape tomatoes (around 10 oz, or more — leftovers are a gift)

• Anchovy filets (optional)

• Calabrian chili bomba paste or red pepper flakes (optional)

• Extra virgin olive oil (enough to come halfway up the tomatoes)

• 1 whole head of garlic (top sliced off to expose all the cloves, for roasting)

• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• Fresh basil to taste

• 4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)

• 2 cups small pasta (orzo, anellini, or whatever tiny shape you love)

• Roasted garlic (squeezed from the foil-roasted head)

• A squeeze of lemon (optional)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or more, obviously)

To make the tomato confit and roasted garlic:

1. Preheat your oven to 325ºF (160ºC).

2. Add about 10 oz of cherry or grape tomatoes to a small baking dish. You don’t need to be exact — just aim for a single snug layer.

3. Season with any combination of the following:

   • A spoonful of Calabrian chili paste

   • A pinch of red pepper flakes

   • A couple anchovy filets (they’ll melt into the oil)

4. Pour in enough extra virgin olive oil to come about halfway up the tomatoes.

5. Separately, slice the top off a whole head of garlic, drizzle it with olive oil, wrap it tightly in foil, and place it on the same tray or directly on the oven rack.

6. Roast both for 1 to 1½ hours, until the tomatoes are soft and slightly collapsed, and the garlic is golden and spreadable.

7. Once the confit is out of the oven, stir in a handful of torn fresh basil leaves.

To make the orzotto:

1. Warm about 4 cups of broth (vegetable or chicken) in a saucepan and keep it over low heat.

2. In a large sauté pan, add 2 cups of small pasta (like orzo or anellini) and a generous spoonful of tomato confit — be sure to get some of the infused oil, at least 1/4 cup!

3. Squeeze in all the soft cloves from the foil-roasted garlic.

4. Cook this mixture over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, to toast the pasta slightly and let the garlic melt into the oil.

5. Begin ladling in the warm broth in stages — about 5 to 6 additions — stirring well between each one and letting the pasta absorb the liquid gradually. Keep it at a gentle simmer.

6. Continue until the pasta is al dente around 10-15 minutes (but could be longer) and the texture is creamy and cohesive.

7. To finish, turn off the heat and stir in:

   • 2 tablespoons of butter

   • About ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or more, to taste)

8. Serve warm, in a bowl, with a spoon.

Recipe videos:

@scheckeatsReplying to @93percentstardust_ literally so good #orzo #orzotto #pasta #tomatoconfit #pastina #risotto #italian@scheckeats

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@scheckeatscook on 300° F convection (or 325 regular) for 1.5 hours #confit #tomatoconfit #orzo #pasta #roastedgarlic

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