This dish unites several wonderful flavours. The creamy risotto blends deliciously with the smooth pumpkin. This steaming dish is a fabulous winter warmer, but equally as delightful eaten lukewarm in summer. Sensational in any season!
Halve the butternut squash lengthwise. Slice into wedges of approx. 1.5 cm. Remove the skin and dice the flesh.
Bring 1 litre of water to the boil with the stock cubes and keep warm on a low heat.
Chop the onion and press the garlic clove. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan with a thick base. Fry the onion and the garlic until translucent and soft for about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin and fry for 3 minutes. Add the rice, stir well and fry for 1 minute until the grains are shiny. Add a soup ladle of stock and stir with a wooden spoon until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add more stock and stir again. Repeat until the rice is tender and creamy. This takes about 13 minutes. You may not need to use all the stock.
Roughly slice the basil. Add the spinach and basil and stir until the spinach has wilted. Add half the Grana Padano and season with freshly ground pepper.
In the meanwhile, heat a frying pan and toast the pine nuts on a medium heat for about 3 mins. until golden brown. Serve the risotto garnished with the rest of the Grana Padano and the pine nuts.
Tip: Replace the basil with 18 grams of fresh sage leaves.
