preparation

• Cut the flesh from the pumpkin. Remove the seeds. Cut the pulp into cubes of 2 by 2 cm. Put three quarters of it in an oven dish. Add the garlic cloves. The branches of rosemary and the red pepper coarsely chopped too. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place in the oven at 200 degrees for 45 minutes. Stir equally well every 15 minutes.
• Now make the stock with boiled water. Put half of the pumpkin flesh and garlic and red pepper in a food processor. Add half of the stock and mix until smooth. Do the same with the other half.
• Finely chop the onions and fry them in a little olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the rice and stir well into the onion mixture. Then pour in the wine and let the rice absorb it completely. Stir it every now and then.
  Now comes the hard part. Pour the pumpkin stock into the rice, in parts. Because it is somewhat thick, the rice absorbs this more difficult. In the meantime, you can add some hot water to make the process easier. But don’t do this too soon. Your patience will be tested, but you’ll be fine. Spoon well over the bottom, also when stirring, to prevent the rice from sticking. You continue doing this until your stock is finished and the rice is slowly but surely cooked.
• In the meantime, heat a frying pan and fry the remaining pumpkin in olive oil. You can add another clove of garlic. Now also add the sesame seeds. When the pumpkin is nicely baked, lower the heat and pour a generous splash of balsamic vinegar into the pan. When this has come to a rest, let the pumpkin simmer slowly for another 10-20 minutes.
• When the risotto is cooked, transfer it to a bowl. Divide the baked pumpkin on top and serve.