When autumn arrives, it’s the season when the first chill begins, and you start thinking about dishes and ingredients suitable for the period. Among the undisputed protagonists of October and November is certainly the pumpkin, a fantastic vegetable with which you can prepare many recipes.
Today it’s the case of a risotto that has pumpkin as its base, flavored with the addition of bacon and gorgonzola which together, cut the sweetness of the vegetable creating a perfect contrast!
The preparation is always classic, so you have to follow the typical steps for making risotto. You start with the broth preparation and gradually the entire cooking phase, which will finally lead you to a delicious autumn dish!
Related recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 5
- Cooking methods: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
For Pumpkin, Bacon, and Gorgonzola Risotto
- 10.5 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 1 teaspoon chives
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 12.3 oz pumpkin
- 17.6 oz Carnaroli rice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 7 oz smoked bacon
- 3.5 oz spicy gorgonzola
Tools
- Pots
- Food Processor
Steps
To prepare the Pumpkin, Bacon, and Gorgonzola Risotto
To start, the first thing to do is prepare the broth that will be fundamental throughout the risotto preparation. So, heat the water in a pot and add the salt, sage, and chives.
Continue by finely chopping the carrots and onion and add them to the broth. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium, keeping the broth always hot throughout the preparation.
At this point, remove the seeds from the pumpkin with a spoon. If you bought a pre-cut and cleaned pumpkin, you can skip this step.
Proceed by removing the pumpkin’s outer skin and finally cut it into cubes. At this stage, you might also decide to chop it very finely if you prefer.
Continue by taking a large enough saucepan and heating the olive oil. Once it reaches temperature, add the rice and toast it over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously. After toasting, add the first ladles of broth, stirring well.
Add all the cubed pumpkin and continue cooking the risotto, adding ladles of broth as the liquid gets absorbed. Continue in this way until the grains reach perfect cooking.
In the meantime, take a small pan and sauté the smoked bacon over medium heat until it turns pink. Turn off the heat and set aside.
When the risotto is about 3/4 cooked, add the smoked bacon and continue to stir and add broth. Taste the grains from time to time to know when they are perfectly cooked.
To complete, when the rice is well-cooked and dense, add the cubed gorgonzola and stir vigorously until it has completely melted into the risotto.
Finally, serve a good portion of risotto on the plate and garnish with more gorgonzola cubes on top. If you prefer, you can also add grated cheese for an even bolder flavor!
Tip!
Pay close attention to keeping the broth always hot and do not neglect the rice toasting phase, which is critical for a good outcome. If you have leftover risotto, you can use it the next day by making a fantastic fried rice (recipe here).
FAQ
Can I store leftover risotto?
Absolutely yes! The next day you can also reheat it in a pan with some butter and make a fantastic fried rice.
