Roasted Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/Gas Mark 6).

Peel and deseed the butternut squash, then cut it into 2cm cubes. Toss the squash cubes with 10ml of olive oil, half of the fresh sage leaves (roughly chopped), a pinch of salt, and pepper on a baking tray.

Roast the squash for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and lightly caramelised. Set aside.

Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pan or pot, heat the remaining 10ml of olive oil and 15g of butter over a medium heat.

Add the chopped onion and cook gently for 5-7 minutes until softened and translucent, but not browned.

Add the minced garlic and the remaining fresh sage leaves (finely chopped) and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Stir in the Arborio rice and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the edges of the grains appear translucent.

Pour in the white wine and stir until it has completely evaporated.

Begin adding the hot vegetable stock, one ladleful at a time, stirring continuously. Wait until each ladleful is almost completely absorbed by the rice before adding the next.

Continue this process for 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is creamy and al dente (cooked through but still with a slight bite). You may not need all the stock, or you might need a little more; adjust as necessary.

Once the risotto is cooked, remove it from the heat. Stir in the roasted butternut squash, the remaining 15g of butter, and the grated Parmesan cheese.

Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and let it rest for 2 minutes.

Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.