Risotto With Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

• 1 23 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, 8 to 12 depending on size
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large cloves garlic, slivered
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 ounce pancetta, diced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 3 cups, approximately, vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon finely slivered sage leaves
• 1 ounce pecorino, preferably Tuscan, grated

1. Heat oven to 300.
2. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise.
3. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side up.
4. Brush with olive oil, scatter a few slivers of garlic on each, season with salt and pepper and place a piece of thyme sprig on top of each.
5. Bake 3 hours.
6. Discard thyme.
7. Chop tomatoes and garlic.
8. Place a 3-quart saucepan on medium heat, add pancetta and cook until fat starts to render and pancetta barely begins to brown.
9. Add onion and saute until soft but not brown.
10. Stir in rice and cook a couple of minutes, until grains whiten a bit.
11. Place stock in a separate saucepan on very low heat.
12. Add wine to rice and onions, stir and cook just until it is absorbed.
13. Start adding warm stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring and adding more as it is absorbed.
14. When 3 cups of the stock have been used, fold in tomatoes and sage.
15. Season with salt and pepper.
16. Risotto should be almost al dente.
17. Continue cooking about 5 minutes more, adding a little more stock or some water if needed until rice is just done.
18. Divide among 4 to 6 warm plates, top each with cheese and serve.

tomatoes, extravirgin olive oil, garlic, salt, thyme, pancetta, onion, arborio rice, approximately, white wine, sage, pecorino

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015281 (may not work)