I can’t begin to tell you how much we love pasta, well we have it every day :):) Everyday, for lunch, made with a different sauce…
I can almost hear you say “how can you eat pasta everyday, wouldn’t it get boring?”. Well you get used to it after living so many years with an Italian :):) Jokes aside, I don’t need to tell you that there is no limit to all that you can do with pasta. Apart from the classics, sauces you can make with seasonal vegetables, you can make a dish of pasta with just about anything. Just open your fridge and get to work.
The recipe that I’m sharing with you today is one of my favourites, definitely in my top three. I make it about once a week during autumn and winter months when pumpkins and squashes are plentiful. The combination of sweet pumpkin and smoked bacon is dreamy. It becomes even more so with the addition of a couple of more simple ingredients. Pumpkin that’s cooked with some stock just melts in your mouth and leaves you with a warm cuddly feeling. Well this is exactly how it makes me feel, I feel very happy eating this dish :):)
- 800 gr peeled and cubed pumpkin
- 1 onion
- 120 gr smoked bacon
- 1 small chilli (or dry flakes)
- 8-10 fresh sage leaves
- 600 ml vegetable stock
- 4 Tbs olive oil
- 2-3 Tbs grated parmesan
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt
- 400 gr pasta
- Fry cubed bacon for a couple of minutes in a little olive oil.
- Add in sliced onions, chilli and sage leaves, cook for two more minutes.
- Mix in the cubed pumpkin and add a couple of ladlefuls of hot stock. Put the lid on, lower the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes. Most of the water should be absorbed but do not let it dry too much. Add more stock as needed.
- Once the pumpkin is cooked through, mash one third of it with a fork. Doing this you'll end up with a more creamy and thick sauce.
- Cook your pasta in plenty salted water until very al dente, drain and mix with the sauce. Add a little more stock and cook for a further minute or two.
- Mix in grated parmesan, taste for seasoning and serve at once.
Whichever way you choose to make it, please trust me and have a go at this dish. You will love it, I promise :):)
Recipe adapted from Chef Gennaro Contaldo.