Pasta with baked pumpkin
4 servings
120 minutes
Pasta with roasted pumpkin is a refined dish of Italian cuisine that combines the tenderness of fresh pasta with the natural sweetness of roasted pumpkin. This recipe draws inspiration from traditional Tuscan cuisine, where seasonal vegetables are often used to create rich, warming dishes. Roasted butternut squash takes on caramelized hues, while fresh thyme and garlic add light herbal notes. Ciabatta breadcrumbs provide a crunchy texture, and Parmesan finishes the composition with a salty flavor. The pasta is cooked in one pan, absorbing the aroma of pumpkin and spices, making it particularly rich. It’s the perfect dish for a cozy family dinner or an elegant autumn gathering, filling the home with warmth and aromas of Italy.
1
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (gas mark 4).
2
Pierce the pumpkin all over with a sharp knife and bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool — this can be done a day or even several days before making the pasta.
- Butternut Squash: 1.2 kg
3
Chop the ciabatta in a food processor with half of the fresh thyme, a clove of garlic, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil until crumbly.
- Ciabatta: 85 g
- Fresh thyme: 15 g
- Garlic: 1 clove
- Olive oil: 30 ml
4
Place the crumb in a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes or until nicely golden brown, stirring regularly, then transfer to a bowl.
5
Cut the dough for pasta into strips 0.5 cm thick. Finely chop the remaining thyme.
6
Place the pan back on medium heat, add half of the pumpkin flesh (save the other half for another day or freeze it), removing the tough skin and seeds, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped herbs. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring with a spoon.
- Butternut Squash: 1.2 kg
- Olive oil: 30 ml
- Green: to taste
7
Add pasta to the pan, pour in 800 ml of boiling water from the kettle, and increase the heat to maximum. Cook for 4 minutes or until the pasta is cooked and absorbs most of the liquid, stirring regularly, then turn off the heat.
- Pasta dough: 500 g
8
Meanwhile, grate the parmesan finely. Once the pasta is cooked, sprinkle the contents of the pan with parmesan, drizzle with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and mix. Taste and season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper.
- Parmesan cheese: 50 g
- Extra virgin olive oil: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
9
Divide the pasta into plates, sprinkle with crispy breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan.
- Parmesan cheese: 50 g