Pumpkin risotto with crispy sage
Pumpkin risotto with crispy sage
Risotto is such a comforting meal and it is perfect at this time of year in London when things are starting to feel very wintery. The combination of pumpkin and sage is a classic and one I always return to, whether used as the filling for ravioli, a sauce for pasta, or here, in a risotto. A tip I learned recently is to let the cooked risotto sit with a lid on for a couple of minutes before serving. This allows the butter and parmesan to melt into the risotto and become delightfully creamy and oozy.
Serves 2
Ingredients
500g pumpkin
Large handful fresh sage leaves
1 small onion
200g risotto rice
1/2 cup white wine
750ml vegetable stock
50g butter
1/2 cup parmesan, finely grated
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat the oven to 200ºC. Peel the pumpkin and chop into bite sized pieces. Roughly chop half of the fresh sage leaves. Place the pumpkin in an oven tray and scatter over the chopped sage. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, heat the stock. Finely chop the onion and heat about 20g of butter and a couple tbsp olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Gently fry the onion on a medium-low heat until soft and translucent.
Add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes until the grains are shiny and slightly translucent. Pour in the wine and simmer until evaporated.
Start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring regularly and waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more. This will take around 18-20 minutes. Add the cooked pumpkin for the last minute of cooking time. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add some hot water.
Once the rice is tender but still has some bite to it, remove the pan from the heat and add the rest of the butter and grated parmesan. Beat with a wooden spoon until creamy and glossy. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for a few minutes.
Fry the remaining sage leaves in some olive oil until crispy.
Serve the risotto in bowls topped with the crispy sage.
