Butternut Squash Risotto

The perfect fall dinner~comfort food!  Ina Garten at her best!

I butternut squash

Olive oil

Kosher salt and fresh pepper

4 cups vegetable stock

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter (I use less - about 4 Tablespoons and it is fine!)

2 ounces pancetta

2 large shallots

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

½ cup white wine-dry

1 teaspoon saffron threads – healthy pinch

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven 400.  Peel the sqash, remove seeds, and cut into cubes (you can also buy cubed butternut squash to save time).  Place on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Toss to coat, roast for 25-30 minutes until tender, set aside.

While squash is roasting, pour vegetable stock (I box) into a small saucepan to heat with 2 cups water. Simmer

In a large saucepan or dutch oven , melt butter and sauté cubed pancetta and shallots on med heat until shallots are translucent.  Add rice and stir to coat.  Add wine and cook for 2 min.  Add 2 ladles of stock to the rice and add the saffron, stir.  Simmer until it is absorbed and continue to add the stock 1-2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes and add more stock when the liquid in the  rice has absorbed.   Continue until the rice is cooked thru – about 30 minutes .  Stir, and add the squash and parmesan to taste.  Enjoy!