Pasta with Pumpkin Cream

17/11/2023

Pasta with pumpkin cream is an autumnal, warm, and comforting dish. Here I present an Italian version of this dish:

Ingredients

320 g of pasta (penne, rigatoni or a short pasta will be perfect)
600 g of already cleaned pumpkin
1 shallot
400 ml of vegetable broth (even from a cube if you don’t have homemade)
80 g of grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Nutmeg to taste (optional)
A few leaves of fresh sage for garnish (optional)
Cooking cream (optional for a richer consistency)

Preparation

Start by washing and cleaning the pumpkin, removing the seeds and inner fibers and cutting it into pieces. It is not necessary to remove the skin if the pumpkin is a variety with edible skin.
Finely chop the shallot and sauté it in a pan with extra virgin olive oil until it becomes transparent.
Add the pumpkin pieces to the shallot, season with salt and pepper to taste. Let it flavor for a few minutes.
Pour the vegetable broth into the pan enough to cover the pumpkin and cook over medium-low heat with the lid until the pumpkin softens, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente following the instructions on the package.
Once the pumpkin is soft, use an immersion blender to create a smooth and homogeneous cream. If you desire a richer cream, you can now add cooking cream to taste.
Drain the pasta and put it in the pan with the pumpkin cream, mixing well to flavor it.
Add the grated Parmesan cheese and, if you like, a sprinkle of nutmeg. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
Serve the hot pasta, garnishing with chopped or whole fresh sage leaves for a touch of color and an extra aroma.

Curiosity

Pumpkin is a very versatile and healthy ingredient, rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In Italy, pumpkin is used in a variety of dishes, from mains to desserts, and is particularly loved in the cuisine of the north, for example in the famous pumpkin risotto typical of Lombardy.