Ingredients
3 cup water
½ cup white wine
½ lb ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into thick wedges
salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
large saffron threads
2 tsp Spanish Pimentón paprika
2 cups Spanish short-grain rice, arborio works very well too , or other short- grain rice
½ lb shrimp, cleaned (optional)
parsley , minced, for garnish
basil , minced, for garnish
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Warm water in a saucepan.
Put cut tomatoes in a medium bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle them with 1 Tbs. olive oil.
Toss to coat.
Put remaining oil in a 10- or 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, saffron if you are using it, and paprika and cook for a minute more.
Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is shiny, another minute or two.
Add wine and let simmer until it is mostly absorbed. If you are adding shrimp, add in now and stir to combine.
Then add the hot water and stir until just combined.
Put tomato wedges on top of rice and drizzle with juices that accumulated in bottom of bowl.
Put pan in oven and roast, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.
Check to see if rice is dry and just tender.
If not, return pan to oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. If rice looks too dry but still is not quite done, add a small amount of stock or water (or wine).
When rice is ready, turn off oven and let pan sit for 5 to 15 minutes.
