Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing the tin
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- Handful fresh thyme sprigs
- 2-3 rosemary stalks
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 350g / 1 ½ cups arborio rice
- 1 litre mushroom or vegetable stock
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 500g mixed cultivated mushrooms, sliced
- 2 XL eggs
- 80g parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving
- 150g smooth ricotta cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- Heat olive oil and butter in a medium Dutch oven or deep frying pan.
- Cook the onion with the thyme and rosemary until tender. Do not brown.
- Add the garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the rice and coat it well in the olive oil and butter. Toast the rice for a minute until the edges are translucent.
- Add the stock, one ladleful at a time, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. Keep stirring the risotto and adding stock until the rice is creamy and tender.
- Season to taste.
- Spread the risotto out onto a baking tray to cool. Discard the herb stems.
- Preheat oven to 180˚C.
- Lightly butter a 22cm springform tin.
- Working in batches, pan fry two thirds of the sliced mushrooms in olive oil until golden brown. Season lightly.
- Remove from the pan and cool on a baking tray.
- In a large mixing bowl lightly beat the eggs and add the parmesan and ricotta. Mix well.
- Add the cooled risotto and mix.
- Fold in the mushrooms.
- Spoon the risotto mixture into the greased tin and level the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Cool for 10 minutes.
- Pan fry the remaining mushrooms in a little olive oil until golden brown.
- Season lightly.
- Remove from the tin and plate the risotto cake onto a serving platter.
- Top with the freshly cooked golden brown mushrooms, a shower of parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper.
- Slice into wedges and serve with a green salad.
