Pumpkin Risotto with Pancetta
I put a modern twist on an Italian classic by cooking my risotto with some crispy pancetta, pumpkin puree and flavors of green onion and fried sage.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- 1 tbsp Salted Butter
- 4 oz Pancetta diced
- 8 Sage Leaves
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, finely diced or 6 green onions
- 4 cloves Garlic finely minced
- 1/2 cup White Wine chardonnay or sauvignon blanc
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 3/4 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese or Pecorino
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Start by crisping up the pancetta and sage leaves in butter on medium heat. Cook this until the sage leaves are starting to brown and then remove the leaves from the pan and set them aside to use later.
- Finish browning the pancetta and then leave half of it in the pan and remove the other half to use as a topping later.
- Then, start browning the onions and garlic. Cook them until they are translucent and then add in the arborio rice and white wine.
- After about 3 minutes begin adding the chicken broth. Begin with 2 cups of chicken broth and a good stir. Continue to stir every 5 minutes until most of the liquid is evaporating. Once the liquid is almost gone, continue adding the broth one cup at a time. Wait until the broth has cooked into the rice before adding each cup of broth. The dish should start to look very creamy.
- Once you add in the last cup of broth, add in the pumpkin puree and a few crumbled sage leaves. The leaves should be crisp and easy to just sprinkle apart.
- Continue to stir and when the liquid has evaporated and the risotto looks creamy, turn off the heat and add freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Add to a large serving bowl, add more freshly grated cheese, and top with crispy pancetta and a couple of sage leaves.