>> servings: 4
>> time: 30 minutes

Peel and finely chop @onions{2}, @carrots{2}, and @celery sticks{2}. Place in a #large high-sided pan{} on a medium heat with @olive oil{1%tbsp}. Cook for ~{10%minutes}, or until softened, stirring occasionally.

Simmer @vegetable stock{1200%ml} and @plum tomatoes{400%g} tinned together in a #pan{} on a low heat.

Pick the baby basil leaves from @fresh basil{30%g} into a cup of cold water for later. Rip the top leafy half of the bunch into a #blender{}. Peel @garlic clove{1} and add to the blender, cover with half a ladleful of hot stock and blitz until smooth. Add @extra virgin olive oil{2%tbsp}, blitz again, taste, and season to perfection to make your sauce.

Stir @Arborio risotto rice{300%g} into the veg for ~{2%minutes}, then gradually add the tomatoey stock through a #sieve{}, a ladleful at a time, really pushing the tomatoes through the sieve, stirring and waiting for each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. Repeat this, stirring and massaging the starch out of the rice, for ~{20%minutes}, or until the rice is cooked but still holding its shape, and the risotto is oozy.

Deseed and finely chop @fresh red chilli{0.5}, then stir through the risotto with @cottage cheese{300%g}. Taste and season to perfection. Divide up, top with the garlicky basil sauce and scatter over the reserved basil leaves.