• Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
• Toss pumpkin chunks with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer.
• Roast the pumpkin for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.

Making the Risotto:

• In a large pan, melt Flora Plant Bake over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes until translucent.
• Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
• Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup of vegetable stock, scraping up any browned bits.
• Add the risotto rice and stir to coat.
• Roughly mash the roasted pumpkin with a fork and add it to the pan with the rice.
• Gradually add the remaining vegetable stock, stirring about ⅓ cup at a time.
• Let the rice absorb the liquid before adding more.
• Continue stirring and adding stock for 10-15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and creamy, with a slight bite remaining.

Shaping and Frying the Arancini:

• Transfer the risotto mixture to a large bowl and let it cool slightly.
• Stir in 5 tablespoons of the veggie crumbs.
• Heat about 750ml of vegetable oil in a deep pan with a lid over low heat. You want the oil to simmer gently, not smoke.
• Place the remaining veggie crumbs in a separate bowl.
• With wet or oiled hands, shape the cooled risotto mixture into bite-sized balls.
• Roll each ball in the veggie crumbs to coat evenly.
• Carefully drop the arancini into the hot oil using a slotted spoon.
• Fry for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy.
• Transfer the arancini to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
• (Optional) Keep the cooked arancini warm in a preheated oven at 100°C (200°F) until ready to serve.
• To make pesto: Add pumpkin seeds, oil, sage, vegan parmesan / nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to a food processor or blender. Pulse until it forms a fine paste.

Serving suggestion:

• Spoon pesto on a platter for each arancini ball to sit on. Place arancini on top and garnish with parmesan. The risotto rice can be substituted for pearl barley.
• Pumpkin can also be substituted with butternut. The arancini can also be air fried instead of deep frying.
• This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, vegan cheeses may be nut or soy based.