Italian Pork and Tomato Risotto

Peel and finely chop the onion and peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press if you have one). Chop the parsley and set aside. Remove the skin from the sausage and break the sausage meat into chunks. Grate the parmesan cheese.

Heat the butter and a splash of olive oil in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Add your onion and sausage and cook slowly for 6-7 mins until your onion is soft and your sausage is cooked, then add your garlic and cook for a further minute.

Add the arborio rice and fennel seeds and stir together for 30 seconds to coat your rice in the butter and olive oil. Turn the heat to medium, add a pinch of salt and stir. Tip:You want there to be a slight translucency around the edges of the rice.

If you have some white wine in your kitchen, add a splash now. Tip:Let the alcohol in the wine bubble off for a few minutes to mellow the flavour. If you don’t have any wine don’t worry - just move to step 6.

Add a ladle of your stock and passata mix to your rice and stir with long, massaging motions. Once this is almost absorbed, add another ladle and continue stirring. Tip:Risotto does need a bit of attention but the resulting flavour is worth it!

Continue adding your stock and passata mix and stir as above for around 15 - 20 mins. When your risotto is almost ready, add your parmesan. Tip:The risotto is ready when the rice is cooked through but has the slightest hint of firmness left in the middle