Baked Pumpkin and Pea Risotto

I took the kids out today to meet up with some friends and their kids at a technology and transport museum. Probably sounds dire to the extreme - but it was great fun - model railways, tram rides, hands-on toy museum and lots more. It poured it down all day, so it was great to be doing something like that else we'd be stuck in the house all day going stir crazy.
Anyway, as it was quite a full on day, I didn't fancy cooking a meal that took lots of preparation when we got in. So this baked pumpkin risotto seemed a good choice. Unlike most risotto that tie you to the stove for half an hour, this one is cooked in the oven and requires only slight tweaking at the end.

Baked Pumkin and Pea Risotto
Serves 6 children

400g risotto rice
1 1/4 litres chicken stock
50g butter
500g pumpkin, peeled and cut into cubes
12 slices pancetta or bacon
handful peas (recipe says fresh, but I used frozen)
250g parmesan, grated
1 tbsp parsley

• Place rice, stock, butter and pumpkin into an oven proof dish. Cover tightly with lid or foil, and bake for 30 minutes at 200C.
• Meanwhile, grill the bacon until crispy. Blot any excess oil with kitchen paper.
• Take out the risotto after 30 minutes, and stir through. There will still be some liquid, but this does get absorbed. Sprinkle in the peas, and replace lid. Peas will cook in the stock. 3 minutes for fresh. 5-6 for frozen.
• Sprinkle over the parmesan, and stir through. The risotto will now thicken, and there should be very little if any liquid remaining.
• Dish into bowls, and top with the cooked bacon and chopped parsley.

This was very good, though I think next time I'd try half cheddar and half parmesan, as I preferred my risottos a bit creamy.