Spinach, Fetta and Pine Nut Baked Risotto

Hi guys!


I want to share another recipe for Meat Free Monday with you. Again, it's a vegetarian not a vegan dish, but I think that is well enough. I will try to come up with a few vegan alternatives some time soon. Today's recipe is spinach, feta and pine nut baked risotto by Donna Hay. As my monday was rather busy, I needed something I could whip up fast, something that was going to be as easy as possible, because my mood for cooking was rather low. I searched my fridge and I still had leftover fresh spinach leaves and feta cheese I needed to use. Pine nuts are one of my cupboard samples. I try to have some around at any time, because they live up a lot of recipes.


Here's the link to today's recipe: http://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/mains/pasta-rice/spinach-fetta-and-pine-nut-baked-risotto


And here is how my risotto turned out:

The best is: you are only a couple of steps away...


1) Preheat the oven to 180 °C (355 °F). Add risotto rice and stock (whatever kind you like, I used vegetable instead of chicken stock) to a baking dish. Cover with foil and put in the oven.


2) Bake for 40 minutes. In the meantime grate the parmesan and roast the pine nuts.


3) When the risotto is baked, take it out of the oven and stir it, add the parmesan, spinach, pine nuts and feta. You can add it by roughly crumbling it in. Stir to combine and serve.


I skipped the butter in the recipe, because I feel like the parmesan adds enough texture and the slightly molten feta adds creaminess as well. I also used 50g parmesan instead of 80g and it was plenty. I didn't want the parmesan to take center stage, but to complement the other ingredients by creating the texture. I love that the recipe uses fresh spinach leaves as they are going to wilt when you add them to the hot risotto. They maintain a good bite though, because they haven't been thawed or cooked before and thereby add a little crunch. This recipe is perfect for a summer lunch or dinner, especially when it has to be easy and fool-proof. The whole amount is probably going to be enough for 5 or 6 servings. 


Have fun trying!