Pumpkin Gorgonzola Arancini
I have never been to Sicily, but it is high up there on my Italian bucket list, and quite frankly, I don’t know if I’ve ever even had an arancini until I made these. The concept of it just seemed so familiar to me I think I convinced myself I have had them many times, so therefore I could easily make them myself.
So that’s what I did. I was working with Hedley and Bennett at the time, and they tasked me to develop a fun app that could be brought to Friendsgiving. So naturally, I made roasted pumpkin and spice arancini with two types of cheeses because there’s one for the funk and one for the pull, pecans, and panko bread crumbs. After all that testing and filming, I decided it would be a fabulous course to serve at my Friendsgiving supper club. We served 30 fried little cheesy balls of delight, and they were a smashing hit!! So here is how you can make them at home:
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Risotto:
400 grams aborio rice
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
200 grams of roasted pumpkin (pumpkin puree would change the cook and texture of this dish)
1.5 tsp Pumpkin spice
¼ tsp Cumin
TT (to taste) Salt
1 thyme sprig (optional)
6 oz white wine
1.5L of stock (I used veggie)
2 tbsp butter
45 grams grated parmigiano reggian
For the arancini
1.5 cups cooked and cooled or leftover risotto
½ block of gorgonzola
1 block of gruyere cheese (cut into ½-¾ inch cubes)
30 grams of roasted chopped pecans
For the dredge station
1-2 c flour
1-2 c panko bread crumbs
1-2 eggs whisked completely
TT Pumpkin spice
TT Cumin
Salt to finish
Method
Rissoto (If you are new to risotto I recommend watching Marco Pierre White and Joshua Wiessmen on YouTube)
Grate or finely mince shallot and garlic
Get a pot going with your stock (I used homemade veggie stock but you can use whatever stock you’d like). Bring to a simmer/ light boil. Keep on the side.
In a large sauce pot or deep pan heat up a good glug of EVOO over medium-high heat.
Once EVOO is shimmering add shallot and garlic and cook slowly without putting color on them, about 2 minutes.
Add your rice, spices, and roasted pumpkin and toast for 2-3 minutes until the rice is translucent on the outside. Stirring occasionally.
Add thyme and deglaze with white wine. Cook out the white wine stirring occasionally.
Once the wine is cooked off start ladling in stock. Stir continuously until the liquid is absorbed. Once the liquid is absorbed by the rice, add another ladle full of stock. Repeat until rice is cooked al dente and perfect.
Always stirring. Do not stop stirring don’t let it boil!!!
When the rice is finished, turn off the heat and stir in the butter until fully incorporated.
Add grated parm and combine. The risotto is finished.
Transfer to a baking sheet, forming a thin layer of risotto. Allow to cool in the fridge for at least an hour.
You can use as much or as little as you’d like depending on how many arancini you are making. If you aren’t going to use all of it serve and eat it fresh and hot!!!
Enjoy :)
Notes:
I recommend watching these videos if you have never made risotto from scratch before they talk a lot about the texture, technique, and ways to make a good risotto :)
