Pumpkin risotto

An Italian cuisine is famous not only for pizza and pasta, but also for many types of risotto. Usually it’s popular in northern regions like Piedmont or Lombardy, where rice has been cultivated for ages becoming an important element of diet, especially in winter. You can choose between classical versions – with porcini (boletus), with saffron, with seafood, with different cheeses (Parmesan, Fontina, Gorgonzola) or rather you should try less popular risotto: with chicken or even decorated with rose petals… I use to prepare rice accompanied with radicchio and risotto alla zucca (with pumpkin). The last one takes some time (about 40 minutes) and you need to put some effort in dealing with pumpkin , but in exchange you will gain fancy orange, very healthy and nutritious meal.

Serves: 4 – 5

Risotto alla zucca, Italian cusine recipes
pumpkin risotto

Ingredients:

800 g pumpkin already peeled

½  tea cup white wine

2 tea cups rise (short grain if possibile)

750 ml of stock

200 g freshly grated Parmezan cheese

½ tea cup butter

3 tablespoon olive oil (not extra vergine)

Salt to taste

Served with: white dry wine

Preparation method:

At the beginning you need to deal with the pumpkin, which has to be peeled, deseeded and chopped. In another pot prepare the stock. Heat olive oil and the half portion of butter in a large saucepan. Now add pumpkin and fry it on a low fire under the cover until it is almost tender. Then poor rise, fry it for 2 minutes. As it cooks keep stirring it so rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add wine, mix it well and wait until absorbed. Poor one ladle of stock, continue stirring until absorbed and repeat this operation until the rise is fully cooked. Add some salt. At the end take the saucepan off the heat, add left butter, stir it and wait for about 2 minutes before serving. The Parmesan cheese you can add directly to the dish or sprinkle on your plate. And voila’!

2 thoughts on “Pumpkin risotto

  1. Buon giorno! I recently visited Piemonte to search for great risotto dishes for a book I am writing. The book is actually stories of dining with many people–friends, colleagues and strangers–and seeing the world from a dining table where a risotto is served. I came upon your website while researching Clavesana Dogliani, one of the wines served at Cascina Oschiena, a very old rice farm near Crova, Italy (12 kms from Vercelli). The owner of the farm, Ms Alice Cerutti, also served a risotto alla zucca to a small group of people after giving us a tour of the farm. I will be using Ms Cerutti’s recipe for the risotto in my book, but would like also to point readers to your website. I am excited to discover your site and will archive it for regular use, including my next trip to Italy!

    1. Buon giorno Clark! Thank you for your comment and I’m really happy you would like to mention my site in your book! Thank you very much, it means a lot for me! You have amazing idea about showing the world from dining table perspective, really excellent idea, my congrats! Please let me know as soon as your book is published , cant’ wait to read it! I wish you all the best and hope we will stay in touch!

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