Roasted Risotto Pumpkin Pie

Name: Roasted Risotto Pumpkin Pie
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: A small pumpkin or queen squash (about 1kg in weight); 2 tbsp olive oil; 15g unsalted butter; 1 large shallot or two small ones, finely chopped; 1 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed; 100g butternut squash, peeled and chopped into bite-size cubes; 150g Arborio risotto rice; Small bunch of fresh sage, half roughly chopped, the other half set aside for garnish; 200ml white wine; 400ml vegetable stock, gluten free if necessary; 30g Parmesan or vegetarian alternative; For the garnish: 50g smoked bacon lardons or pancetta (leave out for veggies)

From the Cookbook

Gluten Free

Serves 4

Veggie Option

The clever thing about this pie is that there’s no need to make pastry: the pumpkin acts as a delicious ‘container’ for the filling. What’s more, the risotto is baked in the oven, which saves all that endless stirring on the hob. Leave out the bacon lardons and this pie makes a dramatic centrepiece for a vegetarian Christmas dinner. Oh, and it’s gluten free, too.

Serves:

Equipment:

1 x 1.5 litre ceramic ovenproof dish
1 x large roasting tin

Ingredients

A small pumpkin or queen squash (about 1kg in weight)
2 tbsp olive oil
15g unsalted butter
1 large shallot or two small ones, finely chopped
1 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
100g butternut squash, peeled and chopped into bite-size cubes
150g Arborio risotto rice
Small bunch of fresh sage, half roughly chopped, the other half set aside for garnish
200ml white wine
400ml vegetable stock, gluten free if necessary
30g Parmesan or vegetarian alternative
For the garnish:

50g smoked bacon lardons or pancetta (leave out for veggies)

Method

1
Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6.
2
Start by slicing off the top of the pumpkin to make a lid or hat. Place this on the roasting tin. Scoop the seeds out of the pumpkin and hollow out some of the flesh to create the container for the pie. Rub the pumpkin with 1 tbsp of olive oil along with some salt and pepper. Place on the roasting tin along with the lid and bake for 25 minutes. Set aside.
3
Turn the oven down to 170°C/fan 150°C/gas mark 3½. Put a ceramic dish into the oven to warm.
4
Melt the butter in a medium nonstick pan over a medium heat and add the shallots. Fry for 5-7 minutes or until soft and golden. Add the garlic and butternut squash and stir well. Now add the rice and the chopped sage, remembering to save the whole leaves for later. Make sure all the ingredients are evenly coated in butter.
5
Add the wine and stock and bring up to a gentle simmer. As soon as you have reached this point, tip the risotto into the warm ovenproof dish and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Spoon the cooked risotto into your roasted pumpkin and bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until your pumpkin ‘container’ is warm.
6
While the filled pumpkin is warming through, fry the bacon (if using) in a nonstick pan over a high heat and, during the last minute of cooking, add the whole sage leaves that you have set aside. You want both the bacon and the sage leaves to be crisp.
7
Just before serving, top with the bacon and sage leaves. Manoeuvre onto a pretty plate and place the lid on top at a jaunty angle.

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LATEST REVIEWS

“What an inspirational way to make a risotto in a pumpkin… truly inspirational and delicious!”