BUTTERNUT ORZOTTO

BUTTERNUT ORZOTTO image

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 lbs butternut squash (I buy mine ready-chopped which is incredibly lazy of me, I know)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp ground mace (I used freshly-grated nutmeg)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups pearl barley
1/2 cup white wine
5 cups hot vegetable broth
1 cup marscapone cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tsp finely chopped sage, plus a few small leaves
salt & pepper

Steps:

* Pre-heat oven to 425F * Mix butternut squash with 2 Tbs olive oil and the mace (nutmeg), put on a jelly-roll pan and roast for 40-50 mins. If bits are scorched or caramelized, this is a good thing. * Meanwhile gently cook onion in remaining olive oil for about 10 mins * Turn up heat to medium, add barley, stir for 2 mins, then turn heat up to high and pour in wine and let it bubble down a bit * Add hot vegetable broth, put a lid on the pan and cook gently on a low heat for 30 mins or until done but a bit nubbly (Nigella's word not mine) * When squash is tender take it out of oven and put a rough half of it in the blender with half the marscapone & blend. Stir this into the barley and season to taste. * Add the other half of the butternut squash, the rest of the marscapone and a little weak vegetable broth if it feels to thick * Toast pine nuts quickly in a pan till they're golden (watch out, they'll burn) * Stir pine nuts into the orzotto, scatter with sage and serve immediately