Pumpkin Risotto (Lombardy)

Ingredients

Pumpkin- 2 pounds

Butter- 6 tbsp

Olive oil- 2 1/2 tbsp

Onion, finely chopped- 1 small

Boiling water- 7 cups

Salt

Arborio rice- 2 1/2 cups

Grated parmesan cheese- 3/4 cup

Peel the pumpkin and discard the seeds. Cut the flesh into small pieces.

Heat half the butter and all the oil in a large pan, and saute the onion very gently until soft but not brown. Add the pumpkin, pour over 1 cup of boiling water, season to taste with salt and continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.

Stir the rice in thoroughly but gently, and continue cooking until it has absorbed the liquid. Pour in another cup of boiling water as the rice dries out and continue adding water in this manner until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. This will take about 20 minutes.

Stir in the remaining butter and the cheese very gently, cover the pan and leave the risotto for 2 minutes to settle. Serve hot, sprinkled generously with additional grated parmesan cheese.

Serves 6.