The combination of pumpkin and feta is a match made in heaven – the natural sweetness of the pumpkin is balanced by the salty tang of the feta. Add in the creaminess of risotto and plenty of pepper and you’ve got a fantastic tasting meal that is very filling – and cheap! This recipe should make enough for four.
1kg pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces
2 Tbsp oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup white wine*
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 handfuls of baby spinach
50g feta
Place the pumpkin into a large pan of boiling water and cook until tender, then set aside. In a large pot, fry the onion with the oil until soft. Meanwhile, get the stock heating in another large pot – keep this at a gentle simmer. Add the rice to the pot with the onion and stir well to combine. Add the wine and stir until the wine is absorbed. Add the stock, about half a cup at a time, and stir constantly until absorbed before you add any more. After about twenty minutes, the rice should be cooked – if it’s still quite hard, add some more water and keep stirring it. The risotto should be nice and gooey. Turn the heat off, and add the pumpkin, and baby spinach, mixing together with the risotto. Season generously and crumble the feta over top before serving.
* You can use almost any wine for cooking, but generally dry wines are better than sweet. If you don’t think you’ll finish the bottle, you can buy small bottles – around 300ml – from the supermarket for about four or five bucks.