Pumpkin risotto with crispy sage

Ingredients

600 g	Pumpkin, or squash, skin on, chopped into large wedges (Main)
2 cloves	Garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp	Ground cumin
4 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 small	Onion, very finely diced
300 g	Risotto rice (Main)
150 ml	White wine
1 Ltr	Stock, chicken or vegetable, hot
50 g	Cheese, use a firm cheese (parmesan, pecorino, gran padano), grated
50 g	Butter, cold and cut into 1-2cm dice
80 g	Mascarpone, optional
½ cup	Pumpkin seeds, roasted, from the pumpkin or store-bought

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C.
2. Place the pumpkin on an oiled roasting tray and sprinkle over the garlic, cumin, some salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place in the oven and cook at 180C for 20-25 minutes until soft and starting to brown.
3. Chop 1/3 of the pumpkin into 1-2cm dice. You can keep the skin or remove it depending on taste. Reserve for garnish.
4. Remove the skin from the remaining pumpkin and puree it in a bowl with a stick blender or whisk.
5. Heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and saute without colouring until translucent.
6. Add the rice and stir gently for 2 minutes until hot and toasted, then add the white wine and stir until absorbed by the rice.
7. Add a cup of the hot stock and stir gently until absorbed. Repeat with the remaining stock until absorbed or the rice is just cooked. It should still have some bite but not be chalky. The risotto should have a fairly wet texture as it will firm up when adding the cheese, butter and pumpkin. Water can be added as required if all of the stock is used up before this point.
8. Remove the rice from the heat and stir in the pumpkin puree. Add the cold butter and cheese and mix in quickly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Check for seasoning.
9. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small over a high heat and once very hot, quickly fry the sage leaves for 4-5 seconds per side and drain on kitchen paper.
10. To serve, place the risotto on the plate and arrange the pumpkin on top. Grate over some more cheese and place a scoop of marscapone in the middle. Scatter over the pumpkin seeds and sage leaves to finish.