Pasta with Pancetta and Pumpkin Cream
For those who love Carbonara pasta. The sauce is similar, super creamy and slightly sweeter.
Ingredients
320g long pasta (linguine or spaghetti)
350g pie pumpkin (weight after cleaning)
25g butter
25g parmesan
50g ricotta
1 pinch ground nutmeg
150g pancetta (I used unsmoked pancetta arrotolata; smoked also works)
Servings: 4
How to prepare pasta with pancetta and pumpkin cream
- Cut the pumpkin into cubes. Melt the butter in a small pot and add the pumpkin. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the cubes start to soften.
- Add 200ml water and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft.
- Blend the entire contents of the pot in a food processor (or with an immersion blender). Add the ricotta, grated parmesan, nutmeg and grind plenty of black pepper. Blend everything until you have a fine cream, not too thick.
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to package instructions. When draining, reserve 100ml of the cooking water.
- In a very large pan (30cm) add the diced (or sliced) pancetta and fry until it releases its fat and becomes nicely browned.
- Add the drained pasta to the pan and mix to coat with the fat released by the pancetta.
- Add the pumpkin sauce and the reserved pasta water and mix until combined. Serve immediately.
* the pumpkin cream can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator; use when needed; for each serving of pasta (80g / person) you will use about 2 generous tablespoons of pumpkin sauce and 25ml of pasta cooking water.
** the pumpkin cream can also be added to filled pasta (tortellini) with potatoes or prosciutto
