Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Preparation

First, start roasting the butternut squash. Preheat oven to 375ºF and place all the butternut squash in a large 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle chopped sage and salt all over. Then generously pour the olive oil over the whole mixture and mix well. Roast the butternut squash in the oven for about 30 minutes. It should become tender and fragrant.

While the butternut squash roasts, prepare the risotto. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Put the diced pancetta in the hot pan and let it cook completely and become crispy. It will take about 8 minutes. When done, remove it with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towel. While the pancetta cooks, pour the chicken broth into a saucepan and place it on the stovetop next to or just behind the pan. Let it heat gently over medium-low heat.

Drain most of the melted pancetta fat from the pan. Leave just enough to coat the pan. You can pour the excess into a container and keep it for cooking later. It’s liquid gold! Add the rice to the skillet and let it lightly brown in the pancetta fat for less than a minute. Pour in the white wine and let the rice absorb it almost completely.

This is where patience comes in. Pour a few scoops of hot chicken broth into the pan and stir constantly as the rice absorbs it. When it’s absorbed, repeat with another couple of hot broth scoops. Continue until the broth is completely absorbed by the rice and the rice is perfectly tender. The whole process will take about 20 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

The butternut squash should be cooked at this point. Take it out and measure out two heaping cups. There may be some left over depending on the size of the squash. It can be a great snack for later! Stir the butternut squash, pancetta and smoked gouda into the rice and the risotto is ready! Ladle it into bowls and serve with additional chopped sage on top. Enjoy!