Pumpkin Risotto Balls with Mascarpone and Shaved Parmesan

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 leek cleaned, trimmed and white part sliced finely
• 2 cups grated pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 250g bocconcini, diced
• flour for dusting
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
• olive oil
• 250g mascarpone
• shaved Parmesan cheese to garnish

Method

Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan and maintain at a gentle simmer.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan and fry leek until soft, about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir over a low heat for 3-4 minutes. Add one ladle of warm stock, and stir constantly with wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed, add another ladle and pumpkin, and stir. Keep adding stock slowly and stirring constantly for 20 minutes. When the rice is just tender stir through the Parmesan cheese and season to taste.  Set aside to cool.
Once cool mix through the boconcinni, roll into balls and dust with flour, dip in egg and then bread crumbs.
Heat oil in a fry pan and shallow fry the risotto balls until golden, drain and leave to cool. Serve at room temperature with a dollop of mascarpone and a shave of parmesan.