pumpkin and sage risotto
Risotto is one of the best comforting dishes you can make when it starts to get chilly outside. Making it with the ultimate fall veggie, pumpkin makes it even better!
What is risotto?
Risotto is a rice based dish. To make the best risotto you have to use a special kind of rice called ‘Arborio’ or ‘Carnaroli’ (any major grocery store near you must carry it) While the rice cooks, it releases starches which gives this dish it’s characteristic creaminess. The other important part of this dish is stirring, t h e w h o l e t i me! Yes I know, it might be tiring but stirring is KEY. The base of risotto is butter and onion, I added a cheeky little clove of garlic for extra flavor, then you add the rice and let it sauté until it gets toasty. Then you deglaze with white wine and start adding stock. The finishing touch is the parmesan and more butter. You can add anything you want to risotto as it’s such a great, simple base.
This recipes serves 2 people
Ingredients
2 espresso cups of arborio or carnaroli rice
2 liters of hot vegetable stock
100 ml of white wine
400 gr of hokkaido or butternut pumpkin, cubed
1/2 white onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 fresh sage leaves + extra for garnish
4 tbs of plant based butter
45 gr of grated gondino parmesan
black pepper
How to
Start by melting half of the butter into a large sauce pan over medium heat.
Add the onion, garlic and sage. Allow for the onions to become slightly translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add the rice and let it toast lightly, about 3 minutes.
Deglaze with the white wine and let the rice absorb all of the wine before adding the stock.
After the wine is absorbed add a ladle of veggie stock and the pumpkin.
Stir and keep stirring. Once the stock is absorbed, add in another ladle of stock.
Repeat the previous step until the rice is al dente, this should take about 15-20 minutes depending on the rice.
Important note: Don’t let the risotto get to dry, it should be quite runny when you turn of the heat, as it sits it will thicken up eventually.
Turn of the heat then add the remaining butter and parmesan.
Stir vigorously until creamy.
Serve with some fresh sage leaves and black pepper.
Buon apetito!
