Pumpkin risotto with parmesan cheese cream – Halloween

Italy meets Halloween. a very seasonal and orange vegetable, the pumpkin will be the main ingredient of our Italian risotto dressed with a spider parmesan cream net for Halloween!! the sweetness of the pumpkin will marry the saltiness of the parmesan cheese in a creamy final result. It’s a very delicate taste, we really liked it.

I cooked the pumpkin in a separate pan. I just used the pulp of half of a medium pumpkin. I divided the cooked pulp in two, pureed one half and left the second one in chunks.

Than I started to prepare my risotto. Oil and onion first. Let them cook for few minutes, the onion should get “translucent”. Add the rice. Stir for 2 minutes (it’s very important!!) the rice should get shiny. The oil will create a kind of protective coat for the rice so that the rice will not break during the cooking phase and will slowly release its starch.

Let’s slowly add the broth. one ladle at the time. keep stirring and when the rice has absorbed the broth, add another ladle.

Cooking time. very important. 18 minutes from the moment when you add the rice. (that’s my mom rule. 18 minutes. nothing less, nothing more).

At half time I added the pumpkin, the pureed one and the cooked one.

one minute before the end of the time, add the Parmesan cheese and turn off the fire.

While you are stirring the risotto you can prepare the Parmesan cream. it’s very easy! add in a small pan (very low flame) the oil and the flour. whisk. add the milk. keep whisking, add the cheese and in few minutes you will have a nice and thick cream. done!!

Also, transforming the spider net decoration into a leaf one, you will have a new idea for the upcoming Thanksgiving menu!!!

See you next Thursday with another recipe!!!
ciao!