Zucchini Pesto and Goat Cheese Risotto

Ingredients

• For the vegetable broth:  
• 2 l water  
• 3 carrots  
• 2 onions  
• 2 celery stalks  
• 2 ripe tomatoes  
• Coarse salt
• 
  For the risotto:  
• Carnaroli or Arborio rice 300 / 320 g  
• Vegetable broth 1.5 l  
• Dry white wine  
• Goat cheese 70 g  
• Zucchini 200 g  
• Pine nuts 20 g  
• Almonds 10 g  
• Basil 25 g  
• Garlic 1/2 clove  
• Salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil to taste 

Method

For the vegetable broth:  

• Bring the water to a boil; once boiling, add the salt, lower the heat and add the vegetables (you can also add spinach, bell peppers, or any vegetables you like, but avoid potatoes as they make the water a bit cloudy).  
• Cook for about one hour.  
• At the end, strain the broth (you can eat the boiled vegetables as a side dish).

For the risotto:  

• Wash the zucchini and trim off the ends, then grate them using a coarse grater.  
• Place the grated zucchini in a colander with some salt so they release excess liquid.  
• In a blender, combine the basil leaves, almonds, pine nuts, and peeled garlic, then add a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt and blend everything together.  
• Once the zucchini have released their liquid, add them to the pesto with another drizzle of oil and blend again to obtain a smooth mixture.  
• In a saucepan, toast the rice dry; once hot, deglaze with the white wine and let it evaporate.  
• Add a ladle of hot broth, then continue stirring and gradually adding more broth as the rice absorbs the liquid.  
• Once cooked (about 20 minutes), stir in the zucchini pesto, adding a ladle of broth if needed so the risotto has the typical “wave” texture. Finally, stir in the goat cheese and adjust salt to taste.  
• Plate the risotto and top with a pinch of pepper and some toasted almonds.