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1
Score chestnuts with an x and roast in oven at 400 degrees over a pan of water with hickory chips until chestnuts are open, about 15 minutes.
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2
Sautee pancetta on medium-high heat until crispy, about 15 minutes.
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3
Dice onion and celery; grate or finely mince ginger [option: try adding garlic].
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4
When pancetta is crisp, remove and set aside.
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5
Saute onion, celery and 5 sage leaves in rendered fat of pancetta until onion is clear, about 4 minutes; deglaze pan with sherry as necessary.
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6
Add rice and stir until evenly toasted, about two minutes.
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7
Slowly add 1 cup broth to rice, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until absorbed. Then add 1 1/2 cups more broth and continue to next step.
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8
Peel chestnuts and chop medium-fine; combine with pumpkin, coriander, sage leaves, chopped pancetta, salt and pepper; reserve 5 chopped chestnuts, 5 sage leaves and enough chopped pancetta for a topping.
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9
Continue to add broth 1/2 cup at a time to rice, stirring continuously until most of the liquid is absorbed. Total time for rice to absorb most of liquid will be about 20 minutes.
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10
Add pumpkin, chestnut, sage, pancetta mixture and stir continuously. Add additional sherry or broth as needed until rice is finished, with a very slight bite.
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11
Serve with topping of reserved pancetta, chestnut, salt mixture, and a sage leaf in each bowl.
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12
This can be prepared for eight people or, for fewer servings, roll the remainder into balls, coat in egg white and a mix of chestnut flour, panko bread crumbs, minced sage leaves, salt and pepper. Freeze until ready to bake in oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes as risotto balls.
