{"id":3889,"date":"2018-01-22T09:00:09","date_gmt":"2018-01-22T16:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/?post_type=recipe&p=3889"},"modified":"2026-09-02T10:58:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T17:58:48","slug":"risotto-with-butternut-squash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/2018\/01\/22\/risotto-with-butternut-squash\/","title":{"rendered":"Risotto with Butternut Squash"},"content":{"rendered":"

February 22, 2018<\/span><\/p>\n

Risotto isn\u2019t really a recipe.\u00a0 It\u2019s a technique.<\/p>\n

Yes, there are a few quintessentially classic risotti for which precise instructions are needed (like Risotto alla Milanese) but, in general, you can adapt the technique to use an array of vegetables and other ingredients.<\/p>\n

Risotto with Asparagus<\/a> is a good example of a risotto where the vegetables are pre-cooked and added near the end.\u00a0 The same can be done with both peas and mushrooms, for example.<\/p>\n

Risotto with Butternut Squash is an example of a risotto where the vegetables are added at the beginning and complete their cooking as the rice cooks.\u00a0 Though you wouldn\u2019t think it would work, Risotto with Zucchini works the same way, as long as the zucchini are cut into thick slices.<\/p>\n

\n

Click HERE<\/a> to join our mailing list and you\u2019ll never miss a recipe again!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

In a traditional Italian meal, risotto, pasta, and soup are all considered the same course:\u00a0 the first course (Il Primo Piatto).\u00a0 The first course follows the antipasto (which means, literally, before the pasta).\u00a0 Il Primo Piatto is followed by the second course (Il Secondo Piatto), consisting of fish, meat, or poultry and accompanied by several side dishes (contorni).\u00a0 The first and second courses have almost equal weight in an Italian meal; very different from an American meal.<\/p>\n

While restaurants often par-cook a risotto so that it can be quickly finished for service, I find that cooking a risotto at home is best done \u201cin the moment.\u201d\u00a0 That means I only make risotto for a small group when everyone can hang out in the kitchen during the 45 minutes, or so, that it takes to cook.\u00a0 That pretty much consumes the cocktail hour.\u00a0 Because of this, for me, risotto is a dish for family or very close friends.<\/p>\n

\n

Follow us on your social media platform of choice<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Risotto isn\u2019t something I grew up eating.\u00a0 It is traditionally a Northern Italian dish.\u00a0 I also don\u2019t remember Auntie Helen, who was from Rome, making risotto either.<\/p>\n

As with much of Northern Italian cooking, my first introduction was through Marcella Hazan\u2019s The Classic Italian Cookbook<\/strong>.\u00a0 Beyond that, my Italian repertoire grew based on trips to Italy, cooking with Italian friends, and ultimately, marrying into my husband\u2019s very Northern Italian family.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Risotto with butternut squash is a wonderful dish for late fall and winter.<\/p>\n

\n

If you have a favorite family recipe and a bit of a story to tell, please email me at santafecook@villasentieri.com<\/a> and we can discuss including it in the blog. I am expanding the scope of my blog to include traditional recipes from around the country and around the world. If you haven\u2019t seen Bertha\u2019s Flan<\/a> or Melinda\u2019s Drunken Prunes<\/a>, take a look.\u00a0 They will give you an idea of what I\u2019m looking for.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

It is important to use what the Italians would call \u201criso per risotto\u201d (rice for risotto).\u00a0 The rice used for risotto is short-grained.\u00a0 It can absorb a lot of liquid, turning creamy in the process while still maintaining the ideal \u201cal dente,\u201d (toothy) quality at the very core.\u00a0 The most commonly available types of rice for risotto are Arborio, Carnaroli, and Vialone Nano. \u00a0 Far and away, Arborio is the most common.<\/p>\n

Since creaminess is the goal, rice used for risotto shouldn\u2019t be washed.\u00a0 The little extra starch on the grains will improve the texture.<\/p>\n

A well-made risotto gets almost all of its creamy texture from the cooking method, not from the addition of butter, cheese, or cream.\u00a0 To be sure, a bit of butter and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese are almost always added at the end but this should be for flavor, not to compensate for poor technique.<\/p>\n

My most common quibble with risotto made in the United States is that it is overly rich with butter and cheese and (heaven forbid) sometimes cream.<\/p>\n

To coax creaminess out of the rice, broth is added in small amounts and completely cooked off before the next bit is added.\u00a0 In general, the amount of broth I add each time is no more than 1\/3 the quantity of rice I start with.\u00a0 For example, if I\u2019m using one cup of rice, I add no more than 1\/3 cup of broth each time liquid is needed.\u00a0 The rice should be stirred frequently, but not constantly.

<\/div>
\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n \n <\/div>\n

Risotto with Butternut Squash<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n \n
<\/div>\n
Broth for risotto should be light in flavor, not a heavy stock. The broth should add the barest amount of background flavor but allow the other ingredients in the risotto to shine. Risotto uses a lot of broth. It is important that the broth have minimal salt so as not to result in an overly salty dish. I never salt my homemade broth for this reason. If it seems that you will run out of broth before the risotto has finished cooking, put some water on to heat. It is important that all liquid added to the risotto be at a simmer.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n Print Recipe<\/a>\n Pin Recipe<\/a>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
Prep Time <\/span>15 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Cook Time <\/span>45 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time <\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hr<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Servings: <\/span>6<\/span> people<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg>\n<\/span> Ingredients<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg>\n<\/span> Method<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span> Notes<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\n

Ingredients
<\/div>