Autumn means dusting off your coats, falling leaves and of course, new recipes. To help you ease into the new season, food and lifestyle creator Amanda Maiorano @madeby.mandy has shared her deliciously simple and seasonal One Pot Baked Pumpkin Risotto recipe that is perfect for using all those tasty seasonal ingredients.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

300g arborio rice

500g pumpkin, diced into 1.5cm cubes

900ml vegetable or chicken stock

50g parmesan cheese, grated

Small handful of parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and the garlic, and sauté until they are softened and fragrant, for about 2-3 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Stir in the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains are lightly toasted.
3. Add the diced pumpkin and the stock to the pan. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
4. Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Stir in the grated parmesan and chopped parsley, mixing well until the risotto becomes creamy. The diced pumpkin will break down into the risotto as you stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
5. Divide the risotto between bowls and garnish with additional parmesan and parsley before serving.

To avoid any waste, Amanda recommends using the leftover ingredients for some crowd pleasing arancini balls.

Simply roll the left over risotto into small balls, cover in egg and then breadcrumbs and bake in the oven for 25 minutes (or fry in oil for 3 minutes) until crisp and brown.

Head into Armidale Central to grab everything you need for this delicious autumn recipe.