Risotto in a pumpkin recipe

Wow friends and family with this Risotto in a pumpkin recipe, it’s a real stunner! Rome-born veg boxer Flaminia Bruno told us about this brilliant Halloween centrepiece. It’s a sweet, dense-fleshed squash like Crown Prince or Onion squash work brilliantly too.

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 60 mins

Ingredients

1 medium-sized pumpkin or squash

250ml cider, plus a splash or two

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

A splash of olive oil

1 large white onion, finely diced

1 apple, peeled, cored and finely diced

200g risotto rice

1L veg or chicken stock

16 sage leaves

A good dollop of mascarpone

A large handful of Parmesan

A handful of hazelnuts or walnuts, toasted

Method

Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.

Cut the top off your pumpkin/squash and scoop the seeds out. Set on a roasting tray. Season inside and add a splash of cider to the middle.

Roast in the centre of the oven for 1 hour or till tender. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pot then add the onion and apple. Gently cook till tender.

Swirl in the rice allowing it to crackle and pop, then add a splash of cider. Let the rice soak it up. Add your first ladle of stock and let it simmer. Feed the stock to the rice bit by bit for 20 mins.

Put a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a little oil. Put in half your sage leaves, let it sizzle till they colour a bit and crisp up.

Remove and set aside. Finely chop the remaining sage. Swirl through the risotto at the end, with the mascarpone and Parmesan.

Give it a taste and adjust seasoning according to preference. Add more cheese if needed or slosh in more cider to loosen it.

Spoon the cooked risotto in the roasted pumpkin. Top it with nuts, Parmesan and crispy sage.

To serve, scoop the risotto and roasted pumpkin flesh out of the centre or cut the filled pumpkin into wedges like a cake.

For more seasonal recipes visit: abelandcole.co.uk