Ross bil-Qargha Hamra, Bzar Isfar u Feta - Butternut Squash, Peppers and Feta cheese Risotto

I absolutely love this summer dish as it's deliciously tasty yet simple to make. 

Ingredients 

300g butternut squash

2 mixed yellow and orange peppers

1 onion

5 garlic cloves 

Fresh Rosemary

1 small red chilli pepper 

300g risotto rice

600ml chicken stock

Glass of dry white wine

100g Feta cheese

50g grated Parmesan cheese

50g thinly sliced chorizo (optional)

Salt and pepper to season

Cut the butternut squash into small cubes. De seed the peppers and cut them into strips. Place the squash and the peppers in a roasting tin. Add the garlic (skin on), finely chopped chilli and the rosemary. Add a table spoon of olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and coat evenly. Roast in an oven on 200'C for about 20 minutes until golden in colour and soft. ( this can be prepared in advance and cooled for later). Once this is done squeeze the soft garlic flesh out of the skin, discard the skin and mix the flesh back into the mixture. 

For the risotto, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Add a finely chopped onion and fry gently until soft but not browned. Add a quarter of the butternut squash mixture to the pan, add the risotto rice and stir until the rice is coated with the onion and squash mixture. Fry for a few minutes and add the wine. Stir and let it reduce. Once the wine has been absorbed, add a ladle of stock at a time until it is fully absorbed, stirring as you go along. Once the rice is fully cooked and creamy in texture add the feta and Parmesan cheese and season to taste. The dish is ready to serve. 

My husband likes me to add a few slices of finely chopped  chorizo on top of the dish as it adds a meaty robust flavour, however I prefer it without. You can try them both and let me know your preference ;-)

Enjoy!