Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto with Sage

I adore risotto but sometimes, I shy away from making it because it can be so hands-on. Easy, yes - but you do have to stand there and stir. Risotto’s not a dish you can afford to leave alone for long.

But risotto is also an ultimate comfort food for me, and I decided I wanted to try a pumpkin version so I went looking around for recipes. Then I came across this one - a creamy baked pumpkin risotto.

Could it really be - a practically stir-free risotto that makes itself while sitting in the oven? Turns out that it can - and I’m grateful to RecipeTinEats for putting this recipe out there.

Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto with Sage

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
600g pumpkin, peeled and deseeded
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
60mL dry white wine
800mL chicken or vegetable stock
50g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sage leaves, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
dash of olive oil

Crispy Sage and Brown Butter:
15-20 sage leaves
50g butter
pinch of salt

grated parmesan to garnish


Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius

2. Melt half of the butter in an ovenproof casserole pot (preferably one that has a tight fitting lid). Sauté the onion until glazed, then add the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the chopped sage and sauté for another minute or two, then add the rice and a dash of olive oil. Stir for a couple of minutes until all the rice is coated with the butter/oil mixture and the grains of rice go slightly translucent.

4. Add the wine and stir for about 1 minute until it evaporates.

5. Add the pumpkin and broth and stir until the liquid is hot. Don’t allow it to boil.

6. As soon as the liquid is heated, put the lid on the casserole dish or, if you don’t have one, cover tightly with aluminium foil. Put the dish in the oven for 25 minutes.

7. In the meantime, make the crispy sage and brown butter. Melt the butter in a small frying pan until it gets foamy, then add the sage. Fry for about 2 minutes until the sage is crispy, then remove the sage and dry on a paper towel. Pour the butter (which should be brown at this point) into a heat-proof dish.

8. When the 25 minutes are up, check if the rice is cooked - firm, but cooked. If not, return to the oven for another 5 minutes. If ready, remove - don’t worry about excess liquid.

9. Stir thoroughly until all the pumpkin is creamed and mixed with the risotto. When you’re done it should have a porridge-like consistency and fall in a gooey heap on your plate, rather than standing tall/firm. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture is not wet enough, add a bit of hot water until you get the right consistency.

10. Divide the risotto over the plates. Crumble some of the crispy sage on top, pour a bit of the brown butter over, grate some parmesan over each plate and serve hot.

Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto with Sage

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