Pumpkin Risotto Recipe (Ricetta Risotto alla Zucca)

– 5 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock) – 1.7 lb pumpkin flesh ½ a small pumpkin – 1 onion medium – 2 Tbsp EV olive oil – 8.8 oz Vialone Nano rice or any risotto rice – 0.5 cup dry white wine skip, if you don't do alcohol – freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients:

– 1 oz cold salted butter – 2 oz parmesan cheese

The Finishing (Mantecatura)

– 10.5 oz pumpkin slices – 1 oz salted butter – ½ tsp red chilli flakes – 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Topping

1. Place your stock, or water plus stockpots on high heat. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat down and leave it to simmer happily.

2. While waiting for the stock, skin, core and chop the pumpkin up, leaving about 300g for the topping.

3. Heat the olive oil on low heat and sauté the onions for 3 minutes, stirring.

4. Add the chopped pumpkins, stir, and leave to cook for 10 minutes, adding a small amount of stock when necessary, to stop it burning.

5. After 10 minutes, add the rice, and coat with all that fat, stirring well. Toast the rice for 1 minute.

6. Increase the heat to medium and pour in the wine, stir, and leave to evaporate, stirring a little. Skip this step, if you don’t do alcohol. 7. Add 1 cup of the simmering stock and stir gently. You can take a break, it doesn’t need to be round and round constantly, just regular stirring while the stock evaporates. 8. When the stock has evaporated, add half a cup more of the stock, stir, and repeat this process for 13 minutes.

Check the rice at the 13-minute mark. It should be just about done, depending on your rice, and the heat. Is it cooked – soft on the outside with just a bite in the middle? Is the risotto looking creamy, like a thick version of rice pudding? If it is, it’s done. If it’s not, add 1/4 cup stock, and stir. When that stock has been absorbed, check again. You shouldn’t really need to cook more than 15-17 minutes.

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Then check the seasoning – does it need salt? Add some if you think it does, and stir it in.

Take off the heat. Stir in the butter and the Parmesan and stir it all in thoroughly and vigorously for a whole 30 seconds. This process is called mantecatura

Cover and leave it to rest for 2 minutes before serving.

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