Spinach Butternut Risotto Cake is just a start on what may turn the ordinary side dish of rice into a new obsession. Call it a torta, pie, or cake, it's as versatile as your imagination, with rice serving as the blank palette for your inner chef artist. I had set out for the world of Arancini, deep fried risotto orbs of cheesy lusciousness, and in the process, (I just couldn't help myself) my brain was cookin' bigger and better things, reaching new heights of risotto grandeur, and out came this...Spinach & Butternut Risotto Cake!
Definitely "outside the box", beautiful enough for a special occasion, and much kinder to your "bottom line" than typical comfort foods will ever be, the hardest thing you do is to make a risotto (and that's not hard at all!), the rest is easy! I chose a tomato and bay leaf enhanced risotto to enclose a filling of garlicy spinach balanced with the mild sweetness of butternut squash and the saltiness of crumbled feta, all held together with a couple of beaten eggs. Serve it up in a pool of ravishing red marinara sauce to keep it light a lovely, and a tumble of toasted pine nuts.
I've been into meatless meals lately; how about you? Would you prefer the addition of crumbled sausage or ham? Or maybe you'd switch out the vegetables for broccoli and carrots. And if you are gluten sensitive, just switch out the regular bread crumbs for gluten free by pulsing a couple of slices of gluten free bread in a food processor, or by coating the pan with ground nuts instead of bread crumbs. If you'd like to avoid white rices, then cook up some brown rice instead to raise the bar on wholesome greatness. I'd love to go Indian with this using Garam Masala, curry, and lentils, and serve it with yogurt...now we're talking!
So really, don't let the spring form pan scare you! Layer this into a buttered deep dish pie plate, love the one dish supper idea, and add this to your healthy options dinner plans!
I've been into meatless meals lately; how about you? Would you prefer the addition of crumbled sausage or ham? Or maybe you'd switch out the vegetables for broccoli and carrots. And if you are gluten sensitive, just switch out the regular bread crumbs for gluten free by pulsing a couple of slices of gluten free bread in a food processor, or by coating the pan with ground nuts instead of bread crumbs. If you'd like to avoid white rices, then cook up some brown rice instead to raise the bar on wholesome greatness. I'd love to go Indian with this using Garam Masala, curry, and lentils, and serve it with yogurt...now we're talking!
So really, don't let the spring form pan scare you! Layer this into a buttered deep dish pie plate, love the one dish supper idea, and add this to your healthy options dinner plans!
Spinach & Butternut Risotto Cake
Makes a 9" or 10" spring form pan
4 Components, recipes follow:
1 recipe Tomato and Bay Leaf Risotto (below), best made the day before to give it time to cool.
Sauteed spinach (see below)
Roasted butternut squash (see below)
1 recipe Simple Marinara Sauce (see below), also best made the day before.
Ingredient List
2 small onions, small diced
9-12 large cloves garlic, crushed
about 1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce
1 Qt water or vegetable broth/stock
about 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2-3/4 cup tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes (for the risotto)
2 28 oz can crushed peeled tomatoes, for the marinara (I love Pastene brand!)
1/4-1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 10 oz boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed
6 oz crumbled Feta cheese
1 small-medium butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
Fresh grated Nutmeg
2 Tbsp soft butter
3 Tbsp bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten with a little milk or water
3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, for the top
Toasted Pine Nuts (optional, for serving)
Tomato and Bay Leaf Risotto
1 small onion, small diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tb olive oil
1 bay leaf
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce
1 Qt water or vegetable broth/stock
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil and the onions and garlic, salt and pepper, and sweat on medium to low heat until transparent. Do not brown the onions. Add the bay leaf and rice, and stir to heat and coat each grain with the oil. Add the tomato sauce while stirring on medium heat. Continue to stir while adding about a cup of the water. On medium heat, continue to cook while stirring. When most of the liquid is absorbed, add another cup and repeat until the entire quart has been incorporated into the rice and absorbed until the result is a creamy starchy risotto base. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and additional salt and pepper is needed. The entire process cooking your risotto will take about 25- 30 minutes.
Cover, place in refrigerator and cool completely. (Right now, my blast freezer happens to be the garage!)
Simple Marinara Sauce
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, small dice
2 28 oz can crushed peeled tomatoes (I love Pastene brand!)
1/4-1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
Sweat the garlic and onions in the olive oil with a pinch of salt until translucent and cooked through. Add the crushed tomatoes and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes on low. Add the basil, stir, and give it 5 minutes to allow the basil to give up it's flavor. That's it! Done!
Serve with pasta, bread sticks, eggs, fried calamari, anything, and of course this lovely Spinach & Butternut Risotto Cake!
Sauteed Spinach
3 10 oz boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/3 cup olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
Salt & Pepper to taste
To thaw the spinach, take it out of the freezer the day before and place the boxes of a plate, on the counter for a couple of hours. When thawed, open the boxes and over the sink, squeeze out the excess water with your hands, placing the almost dry spinach in a bowl, ready for the saute pan.
In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, not allowing it to burn, but just rotating it in the oil over the heat for a couple of minutes until it's done. Add the spinach, salt and pepper, and bring it just to warm since it has already been cooked before the freezing process. Set aside.
Roasted Butternut Squash
1 small-medium butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Fresh grated Nutmeg
On a large baking sheet lined with parchment, spread the butternut squash. Drizzle the oil over it all, sprinkle on the seasonings and mix with your hands. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until nicely browned and tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
Assembly, set oven to 350 degrees:
To bring your components together in a gorgeous cake, butter a 9" or 10"spring form pan with softened butter and coat with the bread crumbs. (If you are gluten sensitive, use gluten free bread crumbs) Once the risotto has cooled, scoop thin slices of it and line the pan trying not to disturb the bread crumb coating, and gently pressing the rice to the bottom and 1-1 1/2" up the sides of the pan. Of course you can use your impeccably clean hands! Yes, you are playing with your food! See the photo. Make sure you have enough left for the top.
Layer in the spinach, crumbled Feta and the butternut squash, beginning and ending with spinach.
Beat the 2 eggs with a couple of tablespoons milk or water, just to loosen them up and allow the eggs to seep through the spinach. Pour over the spinach filling.
Again, with remaining risotto, slice thin layers and cover the top completely. Again, use your impeccably clean hands! Press the top gently to make a beautifully flat drum. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and pop into a 350 degree oven. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before releasing the spring form pan.
Serve each slice in a pool of Marinara sauce, and a tumble of toasted Pine Nuts, and maybe even a nice glass of red!
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