Pumpkin Risotto

Lola, author of Loleta, Life, Market and Cooking, brings us a recipe in casserole that you’ll really enjoy making at home: a pumpkin risotto, simple but delicious and wonderfully autumnal in flavor. Enjoy!

Risotto is an Italian way of preparing rice that relies on patience, but it is by no means difficult. The secret is to make sure the rice (usually Arborio or Carnaroli) releases all its starch so it ends up with a creamy texture. To do this, you need to stir constantly with a wooden spoon.

Today we’re making it with vegetables only, but the possibilities are endless, just like your imagination.

Given the time of year and to make the most of seasonal produce, I thought it might be interesting to make a pumpkin risotto. I thought it would be an interesting combination, and in fact it turned out to be absolutely delicious!

You can make the risotto in a low casserole dish, like the Le Creuset casserole-style Shallow Casserole, or, as in my case, I used the standard round casserole directly. Its cast iron distributes heat beautifully, and the cooking turns out perfect.

Mini-cocottes Le Creuset

Ingredients

• 600gr of pumpkin flesh, cut into very small pieces
• 50ml of extra virgin olive oil La Chinata
• 90gr of butter divided into three parts
• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 whole garlic clove and another finely chopped
• 1 very finely chopped onion
• 300gr of carnaroli rice
• 1 liter of chicken stock, hot (for a vegetarian version, we can use vegetable stock)
• 50gr of Parmesan cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A handful of peeled pumpkin seeds

Preparation

1. In a frying pan, heat the oil and a third of the butter, then add two sprigs of rosemary, the whole garlic clove, and the pumpkin.
2. Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes or until it softens and is almost puree-like. Remove the rosemary sprigs and the garlic clove.
3. Meanwhile, in a large Shallow Casserole, heat the stock. It should be very hot when you start making the risotto.
4. In a casserole, heat another third of the butter and fry the onion over low-medium heat until soft.
5. Next, add the rice and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, let it sauté for a few minutes so the oil coats every grain well.
6. Add a ladleful of hot stock and then the pumpkin mixture. Stir well until the stock has been completely absorbed.
7. Add more stock little by little (one or two ladles at a time), stirring the rice all the time, and wait for the stock to evaporate before adding more.
8. When there are a couple of ladles left to add, add the grated Parmesan and the rest of the butter.
9. Serve the rice piping hot with a little extra cheese on top and a few sprigs of rosemary. Finish by sprinkling over some peeled pumpkin seeds.

Ceramic tureen Le Creuset, round mini casserole Le Creuset and round Evolution casserole Le Creuset

You can serve the risotto on individual plates, or present it in the mini-cocottes, an excellent option given their size and the fact that this is a fairly filling dish.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did at home!