I have been making zucchini risotto forever but had never thought to plop a piece of burrata on top until I saw such a dish on Principato di Lucedio’s Instagram. This historic farm in Piemonte grows fabulous Carnaroli rice—I visited years ago—so the Lucedio Instagram is a rich source of risotto ideas. The zucchini risotto was photographed at Balin a restaurant near the farm, and the chef used stracciatella, not burrata. But stracciatella is the creamy filling inside burrata, and burrata is easier to find. It’s zucchini season. It’s cherry tomato season. What are you waiting for?
If you have a choice of burrata brands, ask the merchant which one is freshest. I’m a fan of both Di Stefano and Gioia and really like that both producers now make smaller-format burrata for recipes like this one. Now I don’t have to worry about how I’m going to use a whole eight-ounce burrata. Because once you cut into it, finish it you must.
Manicaretti imports the Principato di Lucedio rice. Some specialty stores and high-end markets carry it, as does Amazon.
Zucchini Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Burrata
Choose small zucchini so you have a high proportion of colorful skin to flesh. A strong, flavorful broth really makes a difference here so I’m including my favorite recipe.
1 dozen cherry tomatoes, halved
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Sea salt
4 small zucchini, preferably green and yellow
5 to 6 cups vegetable broth (see recipe below) or chicken broth
1 cup chopped onion
1-1/2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino romano
4 to 6 ounces burrata
Cracked black pepper
Small basil leaves, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the cherry tomatoes on the baking sheet, drizzle with 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss gently, then arrange the tomatoes cut side up and bake for 2 hours. They will be concentrated and slightly shriveled, but still moist. Set aside.
Grate the zucchini on the coarse holes of a box grater. Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan, then adjust the heat to keep it just below a simmer.
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot over medium hot. Add the onion and sauté until soft but not colored, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until it is hot to the touch, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and let it evaporate completely. Begin adding the hot broth ½ cup at a time, stirring often and adding more broth only when the previous addition has been absorbed. After 10 minutes, stir in the zucchini. Continue adding hot broth until the rice is al dente and very creamy, 16 to 18 minutes total cooking time. You may not need all the broth. Season to taste with salt;if your broth was salted, you may not need any.
Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the grated cheese and a few grinds of black pepper. Divide among 4 bowls, scatter the cherry tomatoes around and put a slice of burrata on top. Sprinkle the burrata with cracked pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately.
Serves 4
Vegetable Broth
This excellent recipe is from Rosetta Costantino. We tested it together for My Calabria, the book I co-write with her, but it got cut from the book for space reasons.
2 leeks
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound celery, preferably inner ribs, including leaves, coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, in 1-inch chunks (no need to peel)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
8 to 10 sprigs parsley
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Remove the root ends of the leeks but leave the green tops attached. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse well under running water to remove any dirt that may lodged between the layers. Chop coarsely.
Heat the olive oil in an 8-quart pot over high heat. Add the leeks, celery, carrots, onion, fennel, garlic, and parsley and sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Add 4 quarts cold water and the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the broth remains at a steady simmer, not a vigorous boil. Cook until the broth has an intense vegetable flavor, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pot, then strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids with a wooden spoon to extract all the liquid.
Makes about 2-1/2 quarts