Pumpkin, Porcini and Gorgonzola Risotto

Method

1. Prepare the broth: place celery, carrot, onion, cherry tomatoes, and garlic in 2 liters of cold water. Bring to a boil, cook for 20 minutes, add salt, then turn off the heat and set aside.
2. Prepare the pumpkin: peel, remove seeds, and cut into cubes of varying sizes (some smaller to melt into cream, some larger for texture).
3. Clean the porcini: cut the stems into small cubes and slice the caps into thin pieces.
4. For the pumpkin: in a pan, heat olive oil with chopped shallot and garlic. Add the pumpkin cubes and sauté for 8–10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and a pinch of parsley. When caramelized, add a ladle of broth and cook until tender but not mushy. Set aside.
5. For the porcini: in another pan, heat olive oil with chopped shallot and garlic. Add only the stem cubes and cook for 1–2 minutes. Then add the sliced caps, season with salt, pepper, and thyme, cover, and cook for 7–10 minutes until the mushrooms release and reabsorb their liquids. Add a ladle of broth, cook until creamy, and set aside.
6. Toast the rice: in a clean dry pan, toast the rice over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until it becomes fragrant and slightly white.
7. In a large sauté pan (preferably a saltapasta), heat a little olive oil and sauté only chopped shallot. Add the toasted rice and stir. Deglaze with dry white wine, allowing the alcohol to evaporate. Add 3 ladles of hot broth and begin cooking the risotto, adding more broth as absorbed, for about 14–16 minutes (2 minutes less than the package instructions). Halfway through, gently fold in the pre-cooked pumpkin and porcini.
8. When the rice is almost done (2 minutes less than the package time), remove from heat. Add cold butter and grated Pecorino Romano. Mantecare (mix gently) by tossing the pan or stirring slowly to create a creamy consistency without breaking the pumpkin cubes.
9. Add the Gorgonzola dolce, mix gently, then cover and let rest for 2 minutes.
10. Serve the risotto on a flat plate, spreading it evenly. Garnish with extra porcini slices and optionally pair with a dry white wine.