A sucker for squash

A silky squash risotto, a pasta e ceci & a perfect pumpkin share plate

Hellooo!

I’m dropping into your inbox a weekend earlier than planned ! but all for good reason - squash season!! It’s hands down one of my favourite ingredients to cook with, eat, even just to look at in those crates of mismatched, higgledy-piggledy balls of orange, green and yellow in the farmers market. The different varieties - with sweet, nutty, buttery, creamy tastes and textures - make it a very versatile ingredient.

And since I’m pretty much 80% squash at this point, today’s newsletter will bring you some of my favourite squash and pumpkin recipes that celebrate this cosy-season ingredient. Including a silky squash risotto, a pasta e ceci and a perfect plate of pumpkin paired with creamy goats cheese, hazelnuts and sage.

Said silky squash risotto !

I’ve always considered myself a summer person - well, I definitely am - but autumn is definitely growing on me. The crispy crunch as we tread through the leaves, the cosiness of darker evenings curled up with slurpy “bowl food”, and of course the arrival of squash and pumpkins in all their glory. (or maybe it’s just the fact we’ve been blessed with reasonably warm weather for this time of year).

Treating myself to a fat, melt-in-the-mouth Delica pumpkin is something I always look forward to (it’s the simple pleasures). They’re a member of the Kabocha squash family, which come in green, orange and blue varieties. They have a natural sweetness with a velvety, almost buttery texture, which pairs very well with tangy flavours like goats cheese - which is one of the bonus recipes for paid subscribers, as well as a delightful pasta e ceci! So if you fancy it..

However, although they go along way, Delica pumpkins can be a little on the pricy side. Which is why for this risotto recipe, I’m sticking to the humble butternut squash, because when you get a good one, oh boy are they good too, and much more accessible (& cheaper!).

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Recipes for the Autumnal Table

A Silky Squash Risotto with a Toasted Hazelnut & Sage Oil

This might just be personal preference, but one of my cooking pet peeves is when I see a risotto that’s stodgy and holds its shape when put on a plate (sorry if you like it this way!). But risottos - in my eyes - should be silky and almost soupy. To achieve that, always keep the stock simmering gently in a separate pan as you’re adding it to the rice, stirring patiently. The squash puree in this risotto will also really help to reach that glossyness. It’s one of my absolute favourite ways to use squash, flavoured with a pinch of nutmeg, parmesan for umami-ness and scattered with a sage and hazelnut oil for crunch - and I’m excited to share it with you all, in the hope that it soon becomes one of your favourites too!

The below recipe feeds 2 people, but I’ve said to roast a whole squash - we won’t use it all here, but if you’re putting the oven on anyway, it makes sense to roast the lot and with what’s remaining, you can add it to salads or whiz it up into a soup for the rest of the week.

Ingredients (feeds 2)
1 kg winter squash, such as butternut, kabocha or acorn, peeled and roughly cut into 1.5cm cubes
5 tbsp olive oil
A small bunch of sage (roughly 15 leaves)
50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped (or pine nuts)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 fat cloves, roughly chopped
150g Arborio rice
75ml white wine
700ml veg stock
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or a small pinch of dried nutmeg)
25g parmesan, finely grated (plus extra to serve)
A knob of butter, for finishing (optional)

Serving suggestion: a fresh rocket salad with a squeeze of lemon juice

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan. Tip the squash into a roasting tray and toss with 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 mins until soft and golden, turning halfway through.

2. Bring the stock to the boil in a small saucepan and keep on a low simmer.

3. In a separate, large pan (big enough for the risotto), heat 3 tbsp olive oil over a medium-low heat. Toast the hazelnuts for an initial 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until just starting to turn golden. Once the nuts are a light golden brown, add the sage leaves and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds-1 minute, watching closely as they quickly turn crisp and fragrant. Tip into a small bowl and set aside.

4. In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of oil and cook the onion gently over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions and lightly toast the rice for a few minutes until the grains turn translucent.

5. Pour in the wine and simmer until just evaporated. Add a ladleful of stock and stir. Gradually repeat this process until the rice is al dente- about 20-25 minutes. You won't need all the stock at this point. The risotto should eventually be creamy and slightly soupy.

6. When the squash is cooked, remove from the oven. Set aside half in a tupperware to use for another day (recommendations above!). Then, with the remaining half, set aside a large handful, and add the remaining squash to a blender or food processor along with 1/2 ladleful of stock. Blitz to a smooth puree, adding more stock to loosen, if necessary - you’re looking for a pesto-like consistency.

7. Pour the squash puree into the pan and mix well to combine - it should be a glossy consistency that easily runs off a spoon. Tip in the reserved squash chunks - this will add a bit of texture - nutmeg and season well with cracked black pepper. Mix to combine. Simmer for a couple more minutes until everything is warmed through and the rice is al dente. When the risotto is done, stir through the parmesan and a blob of butter for extra silkiness, if you like.

8. Spoon the risotto into bowls, scatter each portion with the sage and hazelnut oil, more parmesan and cracked black pepper. Serve alongside a lemony rocket salad, for a bit of freshness, if you like.

Said silkiness we’re trying to achieve here !

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Pasta e Ceci, Cavolo Nero & Squash

A similar way of using squash that we did in the risotto, only here is it done more simply just by roughly mashing it into a chunkier paste to submerge into brothy pasta goodness with plump chickpeas, and as always, plenty of parm.