Begin by making your pumpkin puree by preheating your oven to 180 degrees. Cut your pumpkin into quarters and then smaller wedges before removing all the seeds. Place onto a lined baking tray and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft and tender. Once cooked, remove from oven and leave to cool. Scoop pumpkin from the skin into a food processor and blend until pureed. Set aside for later.

Place the diced D'Orsogna Middle Bacon in an even layer in a large pot on medium heat. When the bacon starts to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until it becomes crispy, which should take about 12 more minutes. Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pot and transfer it to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Put the diced onion into the bacon fat that's still hot in the large pot. Sauté over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes or until it becomes soft. At the same time, heat the stock in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it almost starts simmering. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, and keep the mixture warm over low heat.

Put the thyme sprigs, a pinch of salt, and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper into the onions. Mix in the arborio rice and let it toast for approximately one minute.

Pour the white wine into the pot and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the rice has soaked up the liquid. Start adding the warm stock into the pot, one ladle at a time (around ½ cup per ladle), while stirring after each addition until the liquid gets absorbed. Repeat the process until you've used up all the liquid. This should take roughly 20-25 minutes.

Take out the thyme sprigs and mix in the butter, honey, and ½ cup of parmesan cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese and butter have melted. Serve the risotto right away and top it with crispy bacon, the remaining ¼ cup of parmesan, and more black pepper for garnish.