Pour vegetable stock into a saucepan, and heat over low heat. Keep warm as you cook the risotto.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Toss cherry tomatoes in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Pop the tomatoes onto a baking sheet, and bake for about 30 minutes as you make the risotto.
Heat a large saute pan over medium. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Heat the oil until it shimmers, then add the chopped shallots. Cook shallots for a few minutes until tender and fragrant.
Add minced garlic, and cook for about a minute until tender and fragrant.
Add dry arborio rice, and stir to coat in the shallots and garlic. Allow the rice to toast for 2-3 minutes, until a small white dot remains at the center of each grain.
Pour white wine into the pan, and cook for a couple of minutes as the alcohol burns off and the rice absorbs it.
Add the warm vegetable stock to the rice, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly with each addition. This is cooking the risotto, and will take about thirty minutes total. Keep adding the stock as the risotto cooks, until it develops a creamy texture. Once the risotto has the slightest bite to it, remove it from the heat.
Taste the risotto, and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the butter. Top the hot risotto with torn pieces of mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, and either fresh basil or basil pesto. Drizzle balsamic over the risotto, and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.