RISOTTO WITH SMOKED EGGPLANT, CALABRIAN ‘NDUJA SAUCE AND CHOPPED PISTACHIO

Serves 4

Wash the eggplant and peel it. Julienne the eggplant skin and fry until crispy, then drain and dry on paper towel. Cook the peeled eggplant in the oven for about 30 minutes at 180°C or until the pulp is nice and soft. In a pan, toast the rice over a low heat; as soon as the grains are well toasted, pour in the Prosecco wine and start adding the vegetable stock a little at a time. Add the shallots previously cook (prepared by heating 40 g of shallots with 20 g of extra-virgin olive oil in the microwave). Halfway through cooking, add the eggplant pulp (half of it finely blended) and continue cooking. Once cooked, turn off the heat and add the butter, the grated Pecorino cheese and the finely chopped fresh parsley. Cover and leave to rest for one minute. Plate up with the help of a large pastry cutter, arranging the risotto in the centre of the plate. Garnish with the Calabrian ‘Nduja sauce and the chopped pistachios. Finish off with some fried eggplant skin, drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and some edible flowers. Cover with a dome lid filled with smoke using the smoking kit.