butternut risotto with chilli and ricotta

How to make butternut risotto with chilli and ricotta recipe

Serves 4

Total cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients:
50 g (2 oz) butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
325 g (11 oz) butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
250 g (8 oz) risotto rice
100 ml (3½ fl oz) dry white wine
750 ml (1¼ pint) hot vegetable stock
50 g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
3 sage leaves, finely chopped
50 g (2 oz) ricotta cheese
salt and pepper

Method:
Heat half the butter with the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the peeled and deseeded squash and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir most of the chilli into the pan along with the rice and cook for 2 minutes until the rice is well coated.

Pour the wine into the pan and cook until it has bubbled away. Gradually stir in the hot stock, a little at a time, stirring frequently and allowing the rice to absorb the stock before adding more.

When the rice is soft, after about 15 minutes, stir in the remaining butter and the Parmesan and season to taste. Spoon into serving bowls, sprinkle over the sage, ricotta and remaining chilli and serve.

For butternut chilli & ricotta gnocchi, cook 300 g (10 oz) peeled, deseeded and chopped butternut squash in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 3 minutes. Add 500 g (1 lb) fresh gnocchi and cook for 3 minutes or according to the pack instructions.

Drain and toss through 2 finely chopped sage leaves, ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes and 25 g (1 oz) butter.

Season, then spoon onto serving plates and top with dollops of ricotta and some grated Parmesan cheese. Total cooking time 10 minutes.

butternut risotto with chilli and ricotta