Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- ½ cup minced shallots
- 1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 ounces pancetta, diced
- 1½ cups arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Slice squash into cubes and toss in bowl with olive oil and salt.
Mince shallots.
Grate Parmesan.
Cooking
Spread out squash on baking sheet and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, turning/stirring once along the way.
Put chicken stock on a burner set on low to simmer.
Melt butter in large heavy frying pan (medium heat). Add shallots and pancetta, stir and cook.
Add rice and toss to coat with butter (seems minor but actually a very important step). Add white wine and cook for 2 minutes.
Add saffron and begin to add in the hot broth with a ladle, gradually, stirring until it’s almost absorbed before adding the next ladle (this takes a long time so pour yourself a glass of wine and have someone to talk to).
Keep going with your broth-adding-and-stirring for a total of about 30 minutes.
When broth is done, remove from heat, stir in squash, grated cheese, salt and pepper, and serve.
