A few weeks ago we went to Baltimore and had dinner with some friends. I ordered a pumpkin risotto that was absolutely incredible, topped with a splash of balsamic vinegar and some big flakes of Parmesan. When I got home, I just had to try and replicate it. I didn’t get it exactly right, but I got it pretty darn close. Risotto is one of my favorite things to make because you can do so many things with it, and layer so many different flavors! It used a good chunk of the pumpkin puree I put up back in October too! The pumpkin I chose to roast and puree was one of the big green/blue ones, I’m not sure what it’s called! I wound up putting up about 10 cups of pumpkin puree from it.

Pumpkin Risotto

• 2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)**
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 3/4 c grated parmesan
• nutmeg
• pepper
• good balsamic vinegar (seriously, don’t use the cheap stuff)

In a small sauce pot, heat up your stock. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a pot, then cook your onions until they are translucent and soft. Add the pumpkin and garlic, cooking until soft.

Add the rice and cook until the little white spot in the middle shows, and start slowly ladling in your stock. You want to go slowly, adding a ladle at a time, and stirring constantly. Your risotto should be thick and creamy, and should take 20-30 minutes. I taste mine throughout to make sure the risotto is cooked through. If it’s not cooked through and I’m out of warm stock, I’ll sub in a little warm water.

When the risotto is thick and creamy, add the nutmeg, pepper, and stir in a handful of cheese. I left off those portion sizes because it’s entirely up to you.

Top with big flakes of cheese and a drizzle of your balsamic.

**my pumpkin was already pureed and frozen, so all I had to do was defrost it. You can totally use canned filling, or roast a small baking pumpkin or butternut squash and hit it with a food processor.