Risolatte and Pumpkin

Pumpkin risotto is a very popular autumnal dish in Italy, particularly in Lombardy and Veneto. It embraces the sweet and enveloping flavors of pumpkin, which pair perfectly with the creamy texture of the risotto. Here is the classic Italian recipe for preparing a delicious pumpkin risotto.

Ingredients

• 320 g risotto rice (such as arborio, carnaroli or vialone nano)
• 400 g pumpkin, already cleaned
• 1.5 liters vegetable broth
• 1 small onion
• 50 g butter
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 80 g grated Parmesan
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the pumpkin, removing the skin and internal seeds, and cutting it into small cubes.
2. Prepare a soffritto with the finely chopped onion in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. When the onion is golden, add the pumpkin cubes and let them soften for a few minutes.
3. Add the rice and toast for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until the grains become translucent.
4. Deglaze with the white wine and let it evaporate.
5. Begin adding the hot vegetable broth one ladle at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more.
6. Continue cooking the risotto, adding broth and stirring frequently.
7. At about 18-20 minutes, when the rice is cooked but still al dente, remove from the heat and stir in the butter and grated Parmesan.
8. Adjust salt and pepper and let the risotto rest for a minute before serving.

Adding aromatic herbs like sage can further enrich the dish. If you want a vegetarian dish, make sure the broth used is free of meat or meat extracts.

Fun Facts

In some variations of the recipe, you can blend part of the cooked pumpkin to create a cream to add to the risotto and make it even creamier. Additionally, in Veneto it is quite common to add toasted pumpkin seeds at the end of the preparation as decoration and to add crunchiness.