Creamy Pumpkin and Spinach Risotto

Ready in 40 minutes • Serves 4-5
This dish most recently appeared in My Family (5 Nights For 4) on Sunday, June 11, 2017.

Warm up this winter with this creamy risotto.

Ingredients

600g pumpkin, peeled and diced 1-1.5cm
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock (if using cubes/powder use 3 cubes/teaspoons with 5 cups boiling water)
1 tablespoon butter
½ red onion, very finely diced then roughly chopped
1¼ cups Arborio rice
1 cup frozen peas
½ bag baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley leaves and stalks
½ block finely grated Parmesan cheese
25g chopped walnuts

oven to 220°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
Toss pumpkin with a drizzle of oil on prepared tray. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Turn once to ensure even cooking. When pumpkin has 10 minutes cook time remaining, prepare the risotto.
Bring stock to a simmer in a pot then remove from heat, cover and keep warm (or if using stock from cubes/powder, dissolve in boiling water in a heat-proof bowl). Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large, pot on medium heat. Add butter and onion and cook for 3 minutes, until softened.
Add rice, stir and cook for 1 minute, until rice starts to look translucent. Add one cup of warm stock and stir. Add the next cup of stock when all liquid from the first cup has been absorbed. This will take about 3 minutes, stirring often.
Repeat until all stock has been added, this process will take about 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Half way through adding the stock, fold 2/3 of the roasted pumpkin and peas through risotto, then continue with the process of adding remaining stock.
Finely chop spinach and fold though risotto with first measure of parsley and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper
Divide creamy pumpkin and spinach risotto between bowls. Sprinkle over remaining roasted pumpkin and Parmesan cheese. Top with parsley and chopped walnuts.