Couscous Risotto With Tomatoes and Mozzarella
This caprese-inspired “risotto” swaps in toothsome pearl couscous for the usual short grain rice, cutting the time spent stirring in half. The result is a pleasantly chewy, creamy one-pot dish that, like true risotto, is easy to adapt. The tomatoes caramelize and concentrate in flavor when roasted, but if you don’t feel like turning on the oven, try replacing them with a heaping cup of drained and chopped roasted red peppers or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (just pat them dry if they're oil-packed). And because pesto is so flavorful, there’s no need for chicken or vegetable broth: Plain old water is the cooking liquid of choice here.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 1medium shallot or 1/2 small yellow onion
- 8ounces fresh mozzarella
- 2pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 ½cups pearl couscous (also called Israeli couscous)
- ½cup dry white wine
- ½cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade, plus more for serving
- Torn fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is heating, mince the shallot. Cut or tear mozzarella into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Place tomatoes on a quarter sheet pan or baking dish large enough for them to spread out in a single layer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper and shake to coat.Step 2
Roast the tomatoes, gently shaking the pan halfway through, until they have blistered, burst and blackened in spots, about 20 minutes.Step 3
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, high-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium. Add the couscous and shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the couscous is lightly toasted and the shallot is softened, about 3 minutes.Step 4
Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 30 seconds.Step 5
Stir in 3 cups water, increase the heat to high, cover and bring to a simmer. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently so that the couscous doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Decrease the heat as needed to maintain a simmer until almost all the liquid has been absorbed, the couscous is al dente and the mixture is creamy, 8 to 10 minutes.Step 6
Remove the pan from the heat. Scrape half of the roasted tomatoes into the risotto along with any juices from the sheet pan or baking dish. Add the pesto and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt as needed. Stir in the mozzarella. Serve garnished with the remaining tomatoes, a drizzle of pesto and fresh basil, if desired.