Pumpkin risotto with pumpkin seeds and primosale cheese

• 10 minutes to prepare • 60 minutes to cook • Serves 4

 

 

Simenza

It's no secret that I adore risotto.
There's something so fancy and relaxing about it. I like slowly stirring it while talking about my day, I love adding one ladle of broth at a time while sipping a glass of wine.
Moreover, I love how you can add all sorts of humble or fine ingredients to change up the flavors. You can eat a giant bowl of risotto as a meal, or share it with your guests. Ha-ha.

Today we are talking again about pumpkin risotto! I have had many variations and I must say, this is one of my absolute favorites.
Here, the sour sensation given by primosale cheese will be balanced by the sweetness of pumpkin while pumpkin seeds add crunchiness. This recipe is a slightly modified version of chef Caffarri's one.

Here's what you will need for the 4-serving recipe:

320 g Carnaroli rice 
300 g pumpkin
1 onion
1 glass white wine
70 g primosale cheese
1 l vegetable broth
pumpkin seeds
cinnamon powder
nutmeg powder
EVO oil
salt and pepper

 

1. Peel the pumpkin and cut it into slices. Make them not too thin so that the pumpkin flesh will result soft and not too dry. Place pumpkin slices on the oven plate with some salt on top. Cook at 200°C for 30 minutes (ventilated oven)
2. When pumpkin is ready, braise chopped onion with a little oil and salt
3. Pour the rice into the pan and simmer with wine until it evaporates
4. Add a spoonful of boiling broth and continue as for a normal risotto, for about half of rice's cooking time (please refer to the cooking time indicated on the rice package). At this point, smash the cooked pumpkin with a fork and add it to the rice  
5. Meanwhile, cut primosale cheese into cubes, about 1 cm each
6. When the rice is cooked, stir in half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder, half a teaspoon of nutmeg powder, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt, if needed
   
7. Serve on a dinner plate, with few dices of primosale cheese and pumpkin seeds on top  

In the following, Nutrition Facts of this dish are indicated. Data is provided per serving.

Ietta simenza ca Diu ci penza*
(Sicilian proverb)

*Throw the seeds and God will take care of it