Risotto alla zucca con funghi e taleggio
Recipe credit: the Italian Centre
This hearty risotto beautifully blends the harvest flavour of pumpkin with mushrooms and Taleggio cheese.
Ingredients:
- 400 g pumpkin – fresh (substitute canned and 1 L. vegetable stock)
- 3 T Bonelli olive oil
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 400 g Mushrooms
- 40 g Butter
- small onion, minced
- 320 g Ceriotti Arborio rice
- 250 ml white wine, warmed
- 200 g Taleggio cheese
- 4 T Grated Grana Padano Parmesan
- Nutmeg, grated
- Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Peel the pumpkin, and cut into cubes. Place in a large saucepot with a liter of water, lightly salted. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender. Drain thoroughly, reserving the hot cooking water in a pot over medium heat. Pass pumpkin through a food mill or puree with a mixer. If using canned pumpkin and stock, heat the stock to near boiling.
Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth, slice and put them in a pan with three tablespoons of olive oil and a clove of minced garlic. Sauté until they are cooked but still firm.
Place the onion and the butter into a medium-high pan and let brown for a few minutes. Add the rice; sauté until translucent. Add the warm white wine; cook until all liquid has evaporated. Reduce heat to medium and add a ladle of reserved liquid from the pumpkin (or hot stock). Continue cooking the rice, gradually adding small amounts of hot liquid and pumpkin purée and stirring gently, almost constantly.
Five minutes before the end, add the mushrooms to your risotto. When you have added enough liquid to create a smooth, creamy texture, turn off the heat.
Stir in the grated Parmesan and Taleggio, cut into small pieces. Before serving, sprinkle with a light dusting of freshly ground pepper and nutmeg.