Rigatoni with Tomato & Mozzarella

How it should have looked :/

Hmmm... interesting experiment.
It did not live up to expectations. Disclaimer: it's supposed to be risotto with tomato and mozarella...
The picture in the recipe looked delicious, but we didn't have any more risotto and neither did the supermarket. So my dad suggested we use rigatoni because he really likes it. 
The real problem was the cheese: after we finished the whole tomato sauce, we had to add the torn mozzarella. We had to add all the pasta water because the cheese began to thicken. We stirred it and it dissolved, but as soon as we put a lid on the pan the cheese clumped within seconds. We kept stirring, mixing and trying to incorporate the cheese into the pasta as best we could. In the end we just scooped it into the plates with cheese stringing everywhere. 
But it smelled and tasted absolutely delicious and I later scooped up and ate the chewy cheese left in the pan using a massive spoon :p
This was our 3rd attempt at making a sauce with mozzarella, with the same result. I think mozzarella would only work in risotto because it's also gooey and sticky.
Oh, and guess what happened the next morning?
My mum found a box of risotto.

Risotto with Tomato and Mozzarella
From www.seriouseats.com

Note: I thought of adding a couple of sprigs rosemary as a garnish, but my dad said it's better to add it to the olive oil while the onions are cooking, and he was right! It gives the entire dish a wonderful aroma and even bites that didn't have any rosemary leaves in them tasted of rosemary. Our tomatoes hadn't collapsed after 50 minutes of cooking, so I mashed them a bit with a rubber spatula and baked them for 5-10 more minutes. If (for some odd reason) you're making it with pasta, add the tomatoes to the onions, boil, stir, mix in the cheese and stir in the pasta. 

serves 4, active time 40, total time 50

• 4 pounds tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound risotto rice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 4-ounce ball of buffalo mozzarella, torn or cut into chunks
• microgreens or arugula for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with the garlic and olive oil and spread them out on a baking sheet. Season generously with coarse salt and roast, turning occasionally, until soft, collapsed, and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
2. Scrape the tomatoes (and all the roasting juices) into a strainer or food mill and push them through into a bowl to make a thick puree. The skins and seeds will remain in the strainer.
3. While the tomatoes are roasting, bring the vegetable stock in a medium pot to a simmer. In a large, heavy pot (such as a dutch oven), heat the butter over medium heat until the foam subsides, then add the onion and cook until soft.
4. Add the risotto rice to the onions and stir well to coat the grains in fat. Continue cooking to toast the rice (it will turn partially translucent), then add 1 cup of the vegetable stock and cook until absorbed. Continue adding the stock 1 cup at a time as it's absorbed into the rice.
5. Once all the stock is added, taste a grain; it should be soft and still have some bite left. If necessary, continue adding a little water to finish cooking the rice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6.  Stir in the roasted tomato puree and cook for a few minutes longer, then remove from the heat and stir in the fresh mozzarella. Cover and allow to sit for a few minutes. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a pile of micro greens. 

Lessons Learnt: Don't make a mozzarella sauce if it's not with risotto...