Autumn is pumpkin season, and risotto is the perfect combination. But you have to choose the right pumpkin.
For a good risotto, I always recommend the "cappello da prete" or the "marina di Chioggia," both of which are used to make ‘tortelli alla mantovana’. The pumpkin should have dense flesh, low in fiber and filaments.
The internet tells me there are about 500 varieties of pumpkin. I haven't actually tried them all, but I can say that only a few species are found in Italy, so you can forgive me.
I've used them in many ways: as a first course, as a side dish, and even as a dessert, but one of my favorite dishes is definitely risotto. I must confess that perhaps the only way I've never used them is to make the Halloween lantern, for which a type of pumpkin with the unmistakable name is used: Jack-o'-lantern.
Pumpkin, Speck, and Gorgonzola Risotto Recipe
Peel the pumpkin, dice it, and add it to the pan with the softened onion. Add a clove of garlic, a sprig of rosemary, and some sage leaves. Let everything simmer, then add some vegetable broth (or hot water) and cook. Season with salt and pepper at the end.
Once the pumpkin is cooked, remove the herbs and garlic and blend it until creamy.
Now cut the speck into strips, brown it, and set aside.
Start cooking the rice: toast the Carnaroli rice in a pan, then add vegetable broth as needed. When the rice is 3/4 cooked, add the pumpkin cream and some of the speck. Then, remove from the heat and stir in some sweet Gorgonzola.
We serve the dishes, adding the remaining speck and a sprinkle of pepper.
In the glass, a Cesanese that's not too aged but fragrant, like Lettera 2023, the Cesanese DOCG from Donna Vittori (www.donnavittori.com) from Paliano.
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