The star of the recipe is pumpkin, a healthy, well-balanced food, rich in beta carotene. Pumpkin risotto is a simple first course, presented in a striking way that makes it the ideal centrepiece for the Sunday lunch table.

Preparation

Heat the oven to 200°C
Place the shallot in a small pan with two tablespoons of flavoured olive oil. Cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Cut the pumpkin into pieces. Heat a tablespoon of flavoured olive oil in a small pan, add the pumpkin and a glass of water or vegetable stock. Cover and cook until the pumpkin is soft. Season with salt and blend.

While the onion and pumpkin are cooking, prepare the serving bowl: wash and dry the whole pumpkin. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes. This will soften the peel and make it easier to cut: carve it, cutting off the top.

Empty the pumpkin, removing the seeds. Season with some salt and add a drizzle of olive oil. Rub the outside of the pumpkin with oil, including the lid, and cover with aluminium foil.
Put the pumpkin and its lid back into the oven. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and let the pumpkin cook for another 15 minutes.

Heat the vegetable stock and keep on a very low heat so that it remains piping hot.
In a saucepan, heat the lightly fried shallot, add the rice, stir, toast and add some white wine.
Add the vegetable stock, little by little, stirring the rice. Then add the blended pumpkin before the rice is fully cooked.
Cream the risotto with the butter and grated Grana Padano PDO Riserva. Cover the saucepan and leave to rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Serve the risotto in the hollowed out pumpkin, garnishing with shavings of Grana Padano PDO.