Name: Pumpkin Risotto with Fried Sage and Chestnut Sand
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 butternut squash; 6 fresh thyme sprigs; Fresh sage; 2 garlic cloves; Fresh nutmeg; Salt; Black pepper; Olive oil; Vegetable scraps (leaves of 2 leeks, 1 carrot, skin and seeds of 1 tomato, skin of 2 onions, skin of 2 garlic heads, 1 celery stalk, parsley and thyme sprigs); 1 large onion; 1 garlic clove; Butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup arborio rice; 1 glass white wine; Parmigiano Reggiano; Lemon zest; Handful of fresh sage leaves; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; Handful of cooked/roasted chestnuts

Introduction

There is nothing better to celebrate Halloween than a pumpkin recipe. Risotto, being a classic Italian dish usually served as a starter, also carries a touch of elegance and can be served at a special dinner as a main course, given its heartiness. In this recipe, I share all the secrets to making a good risotto, step by step.

Instructions

Roasted Pumpkin

Prepare. Preheat the oven to 240°. Peel and remove the seeds and strings from the squash, reserving them.
Roast. Cut the squash into even cubes, slightly larger than a finger’s width. Spread them on an ovenproof tray with the thyme, 1 large sprig of sage and 2 garlic cloves crushed with their skins on. Season with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss and roast for 30 minutes.
Blend half. Discard the sage, thyme and 1 of the roasted garlic cloves. Place half the roasted squash in a food processor with 1 of the garlic cloves (peeled) and blend, adjusting the seasoning. Set aside.

Risotto

Broth. Place the vegetable scraps, along with the squash peel, seeds and strings, in a tall pot. Cover with water and let it simmer while the squash roasts. Keep the broth warm.
Sauté. Finely chop the onion and garlic clove. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil in a pot. Add the onion and let it sweat, adding salt. When more translucent, add the garlic and let it sweat as well.
Toast the rice. Pour the rice (without washing it beforehand) into the pot and sauté briefly. Over high heat, pour in the white wine. Let it reduce, then lower the heat.
Cook the risotto. Ladle in broth until it just covers the rice, but not too much. Stir constantly until the broth evaporates. Add the blended squash to the rice pot and continue stirring. Then ladle in more broth, always stirring, until it just covers the rice, but not too much.
Finish. When the broth evaporates, exposing the rice, ladle in more broth and stir until the rice is cooked al dente and creamy (approximately 18 minutes). With the last ladle of broth, also add the remaining roasted squash cubes, folding them in gently and adjusting the seasoning. Turn off the heat and add a generous knob of butter and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Wait 1 minute and stir vigorously until the rice is creamy. Set aside.

Fried Sage

Fry the sage. In a frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil. Let it get very hot and add the well-dried sage leaves. Let them fry until crispy (approximately 20 seconds). Place the crispy leaves on a plate lined with absorbent paper. Do not clean the pan.

Chestnut Sand

Prepare the sand. Blend the chestnuts in a food processor until they have a coarse sand texture. In the sage pan, with the same butter and olive oil, toss the chestnuts until they soak up the fats (10 seconds).

Serving

On a warmed flat plate, spoon 3 generous servings of risotto. Gently shake the plate so the rice spreads across the entire surface. Sprinkle with the chestnut sand, dot with the fried sage and grate more cheese. Add lemon zest at the end, along with a thin drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.