The Secret to the Perfect Risotto Probably Isn't What You Think

1. Cut the porcini into thin slices.
2. Put a sauce pan over a medium flame stove then add the olive oil, the garlic and the porcini, cook for five minutes and season with salt and pepper.
3. Set the pan aside and meanwhile begin peeling the pumpkin, remove the seeds, cut into cubes and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place this in a baking tin covered with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 180° for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft and when complete, mash it with a fork.

For the risotto:

1. Melt half of the butter (25g) in a pan on medium/high heat with finely chopped onion. Once the onions are translucent and soft, add the rice and stir for few minutes.
2. Keep the pan over a medium heat and pour in a quarter of the vegetable hot stock (250ml). Simmer the rice, stirring often, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
3. After 10 minutes add the porcini mushroom and the mashed pumpkin and continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes while adding the remaining stock - it should start to become creamy, plump and tender. Don’t forget to stir with a wooden spoon- that’s the secret to the perfect risotto.
4. Remove the pan from the stove, set it aside, and add the parmigiano and butter for the “mantecatura”. Cover for 2 minutes ….a tavola è pronto il risotto.