Chef Graziella
Arrosto di Maiale alle Erbe Aromatiche
Bone-in pork loin rubbed with fennel, rosemary, and sage, roasted until the herbs form a crackling crust and the meat stays pink and succulent. This is the roast that brings Sunday to life.
Culinary Explorer
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Risotto alla Zucca
Created by
Winter squash meets patient technique in this golden risotto from the Po Valley. No cream, no shortcuts: the creaminess comes from proper starch release and generous butter.
Main Dishes
Italian
Comfort Food
Weeknight
30 min
Active Time
45 min cook•1 hr 15 min total
Yield4 servings
There is no cream in authentic risotto. I say this first because Americans reach for the carton before they understand what risotto is. The creaminess you seek comes from the rice itself, from the starch released through patient stirring and the final vigorous beating with cold butter and cheese. Add cream and you have made something else entirely.
Risotto alla zucca belongs to the flatlands of the Po Valley, where rice paddies stretch to the horizon and winter squash grows sweet in the autumn chill. Mantua claims it. So does Ferrara. The farmers' wives of Lombardy made it for centuries before restaurants discovered it. They roasted their squash in wood-fired ovens until the edges caramelized, then folded it into rice cooked with nothing more than broth, butter, and the local cheese.
The technique is not complicated, but it demands your attention for twenty minutes. You cannot leave. You cannot multitask. The rice needs your presence, ladle after ladle, stir after stir. This is meditation as much as cooking. Those unwilling to give it time should make something else.
Pumpkin risotto traces to the rice-growing regions of Northern Italy, where the cultivation of rice and winter squash overlapped in the fertile Po Valley. Mantua's zucca became famous in the 15th century, when the Gonzaga dukes served squash-filled tortelli at their court. The risotto variation evolved as a simpler preparation for farm families who lacked the time to make filled pasta.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
butternut squash
Quantity
1 1/2 pounds
peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
3 tablespoons, divided
vegetable or light chicken broth
Quantity
6 cups
unsalted butter
Quantity
4 tablespoons, cold, divided
yellow onion
Quantity
1 medium
diced fine
Carnaroli or Arborio rice
Quantity
1 1/2 cups
dry white wine
Quantity
3/4 cup
fresh sage leaves
Quantity
8
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
1 cup, plus more for serving
freshly grated
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
nutmeg
Quantity
to taste
freshly grated
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| butternut squashpeeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes | 1 1/2 pounds |
| extra virgin olive oil | 3 tablespoons, divided |
| vegetable or light chicken broth | 6 cups |
| unsalted butter | 4 tablespoons, cold, divided |
| yellow oniondiced fine | 1 medium |
| Carnaroli or Arborio rice | 1 1/2 cups |
| dry white wine | 3/4 cup |
| fresh sage leaves | 8 |
| Parmigiano-Reggianofreshly grated | 1 cup, plus more for serving |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
| nutmegfreshly grated | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy 12-inch skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven with wide base
- •Wooden spoon
- •Rimmed sheet pan for roasting
- •Small saucepan for keeping broth warm
Instructions
- 1
Roast the squash
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast until tender and caramelized at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside two-thirds of the cubes. Mash the remaining third with a fork until smooth. This dual texture, some silky puree, some intact pieces, is essential.
Roasting concentrates the squash's sweetness. Steaming or boiling produces watery, insipid results. This step cannot be skipped. - 2
Heat the broth
In a saucepan, bring the broth to a gentle simmer. Keep it warm over low heat. Cold broth added to hot rice shocks the starch and produces gummy risotto. The broth must be warm throughout the cooking.
- 3
Build the soffritto
In a heavy, wide pan or Dutch oven, warm the remaining tablespoon of olive oil with 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. When the butter foam subsides, add the onion. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until completely soft and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. The onion must not color. Add 6 of the sage leaves and cook one minute more until fragrant.
- 4
Toast the rice
Add the rice to the soffritto all at once. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, coating every grain with the hot fat. The rice should become translucent at the edges while remaining opaque at the center. You will hear it click against the pan. This toasting creates the foundation for proper texture.
Carnaroli rice holds its shape better than Arborio and produces superior risotto. Seek it out. Vialone Nano, preferred in the Veneto, works beautifully as well. - 5
Add the wine
Pour in the white wine. It will hiss and steam. Stir constantly until the wine has evaporated completely and you can no longer smell raw alcohol, 2 to 3 minutes. The pan should be nearly dry before you proceed.
- 6
Add broth and squash puree
Stir in the mashed squash. Begin adding the warm broth, one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next. The rice should always be moist but never swimming. This process takes 18 to 20 minutes. There is no shortcut. Taste the rice often. It should be tender but with a whisper of resistance at the center when done.
You may not need all the broth, or you may need slightly more. The rice tells you when it is ready, not the clock. Learn to listen. - 7
Finish with mantecatura
Remove the pan from heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces, and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir vigorously for one minute. This is the mantecatura, the beating that creates the creamy, flowing texture. The risotto should spread slowly when spooned onto a plate, what Italians call all'onda, like a wave. Season with salt, pepper, and a few gratings of nutmeg.
- 8
Serve immediately
Fold in the reserved roasted squash cubes. Spoon the risotto into warm shallow bowls. Tear the remaining sage leaves and scatter over each portion. Risotto waits for no one. Once plated, it must be eaten immediately. Invite your guests to the table before you plate, not after.
Chef Tips
- •Butternut squash is the best American substitute for Italian zucca mantovana. Avoid stringy varieties like spaghetti squash. Kabocha works if butternut is unavailable.
- •The mantecatura cannot be performed over heat. Remove the pan from the burner before adding the cold butter. Heat prevents the emulsion from forming properly.
- •Leftover risotto becomes arancini. Form cold risotto into balls, stuff with mozzarella if you wish, bread and fry. This is the only acceptable use for day-old risotto.
- •Some add a splash of amaretto to emphasize the squash's sweetness. This is a modern affectation. I do not forbid it, but I do not recommend it.
Advance Preparation
- •The squash can be roasted up to two days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.
- •Risotto cannot be made ahead. It must be served the moment it is finished. There is no way around this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 400g)
Calories
705 calories
Total Fat
30 g
Saturated Fat
13 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
17 g
Cholesterol
47 mg
Sodium
1590 mg
Total Carbohydrates
84 g
Dietary Fiber
5 g
Sugars
5 g
Protein
17 g
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