This scrumptious baked pumpkin pasta recipe is a standard dish that captures the very essence of Italy’s love for seasonal components.
It’s excellent for these cozy nights while you crave a contact of Italy’s rustic allure with out eager to spend all day within the kitchen.
Pumpkin in Italy
In autumn/fall, Italian markets are stuffed with each edible zucca (Italian identify for pumpkin and squash) and people used for adornment. It’s not an Italian customized to hole out a pumpkin to make a Jack O’Lantern for Halloween, however many properties and eating places use decorative pumpkins so as to add an autumnal ‘nation’ feeling to a room or desk.
Pumpkins and squash are an vital ingredient within the Italian autumn kitchen and each are utilized in a myriad of recipes. Curiously, most Italian recipes name for ‘zucca’ with out specifying which kind. However, I assume, in lots of instances pumpkin or squash can be utilized.
In spite of everything, pumpkin is a sort of squash! Regardless of their recognition in America, I just lately learn that extra pumpkins are grown in Italy than USA! Italians use ‘zucca’ in soups, in risotto, as a aspect dish and in desserts.
Pumpkin and pasta is a match made in heaven and pumpkins are used not solely in pasta sauces but in addition in fillings for pumpkin tortelli, ravioli and different stuffed pasta recipes, and to make pumpkin gnocchi.
Pasta and pumpkin recipes work greatest with the sweeter kinds of pumpkin/squash akin to butternut squash, Calabaza squash, Kabocha squash, Italian zucca Mantovana, Delica pumpkins and zucca Marina di Chioggia, the final being some of the fashionable with Italian cooks.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: The construction of penne holds sauces effectively, however be happy to exchange it with one other sort of pasta akin to Ziti or Trescatori.
- Pumpkin: Select a agency, recent pumpkin. You may also substitute pumpkin with butternut squash if desired.
- Zucchini (Courgettes): Go for zucchinis with a brilliant inexperienced hue which might be agency to the contact.
- Purple Onion: This provides a gentle and barely candy taste. Purple onions may also be substituted with yellow onions if wanted.
- Sage: Contemporary sage provides an earthy, fragrant taste that enhances the pumpkin completely.
- White Wine: Go for a dry variant. It helps in deglazing the pan and provides depth to the dish. Should you favor non-alcoholic choices, half the quantity of water or vegetable broth will be an alternate.
- Cooking Cream: Panna di cucina in Italian. It’s much like heavy cream. This offers the sauce a wealthy texture. If you’d like a lighter model, milk can be utilized.
- Contemporary Mozzarella: Guarantee it’s well-drained to keep away from extra moisture.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano gives a wealthy, umami taste. If it’s not accessible, Grana Padano is an appropriate substitute. Nevertheless, neither of those cheeses are vegetarian. If wanted use vegetarian parmesan as an alternative.
- Breadcrumbs: Whereas store-bought works effectively, do-it-yourself breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs can provide extra texture.
- Butter: Used to grease the oven dish, making certain your pasta doesn’t stick and has a slight buttery undertone.
Skilled Ideas
Roasting Pumpkin: Roasting the pumpkin cubes till they’ve caramelized edges will deepen their taste, including a wealthy sweetness to the dish.
Sauce Consistency: When making ready the pumpkin sauce, purpose for a barely thinner consistency than you suppose you want. The sauce will thicken because it bakes, so beginning with a thinner sauce ensures the completed dish isn’t too dry.
Layering Significance: To attain the right mix of flavors in each portion, guarantee your layers within the pasta bake are evenly unfold out.
Baking Time: Some ovens are barely hotter then others. To get that golden-brown, crispy topping, maintain a detailed watch in your pasta bake, particularly over the past 5 minutes.
Step by Step Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Unfold pumpkin cubes on an oven tray.
2) Drizzle with additional virgin olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and sage, and toss on the tray till the pumpkin is effectively coated. Place the tray within the oven and bake the pumpkin for 20-25 minutes.
3) Whereas the pumpkin is baking, warmth some additional virgin olive oil over medium warmth in a skillet and sauté the onions till they soften. This could take round 4-5 minutes.
4) Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and proceed cooking till they turn into tender, about 7-8 minutes.
5) As soon as the pumpkin is baked, combine half of it with the zucchini and onions within the skillet. Add the white wine and simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
6) Utilizing a blender, puree the remaining half of the roasted pumpkin with the cream or milk till you obtain a clean sauce consistency.
Tip: Let the pumpkin cool barely earlier than mixing to cut back the prospect of the warmth curdling the cream.
7) Whereas the greens cook dinner, convey a big pot of water to boil. As soon as boiling, salt the water after which add the pasta and cook dinner to al dente in line with the packet’s directions. Earlier than draining, put aside a cup of the pasta water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot.
8) Pour the pumpkin sauce over the drained pasta, stirring to mix. Combine effectively and, if wanted, alter the sauce consistency with the reserved pasta water.
9) Grease an oven dish with butter. Cowl the underside of the dish with a layer of pasta with pumpkin cream.
10) Add a portion of the skillet-cooked greens. Dot with mozzarella items and sprinkle some grated cheese over.
11) Proceed layering on this method then end with a breadcrumb sprinkle on high.
12) Bake in a preheated oven at 355°F (180°C) till the highest turns into golden and crispy, roughly 15-20 minutes. As soon as performed, enable it to relaxation for about 5 minutes earlier than diving in.
Storage and Leftovers
Refrigerating: Let the pasta cool earlier than transferring it into an hermetic container or cowl the baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It may be saved within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days.
Freezing: Should you’re planning to freeze leftovers, portion the baked pasta into particular person serving sizes in freezer-safe containers. This can make it simpler to reheat solely what you want later. The dish will be frozen for as much as 3 months.
Reheating: When able to eat, if reheating from the fridge, you should utilize the oven or microwave. If utilizing the oven, preheat to 325°F (165°C), cowl the pasta with foil, and bake till heated by means of (about 20 minutes). For the microwave, reheat in 60 to 90 second intervals, stirring in between to make sure even heating. If reheating from frozen, it’s greatest to first thaw in a single day within the fridge.
Extra Recipes You Could Like:
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Buon urge for food!
Baked Pumpkin Pasta with Zucchini.
This scrumptious baked pumpkin pasta recipe is a standard dish that captures the very essence of Italy’s love for seasonal components.
Components
- 12 oz Penne
- 17 ½ oz Pumpkin or squash, minimize into cubes
- 4 Zucchinis courgettes, minimize into small cubes
- 1 Purple onion peeled and finely chopped
- 4-5 Contemporary sage leaves chopped
- 1 glass Dry white wine
- 6 ¾ fl oz Cooking cream or 5 fl oz (150ml) milk
- 4 ½ oz Contemporary mozzarella minimize into small items
- 1 oz Breadcrumbs
- 4-5 tablespoons Additional virgin olive oil
- Salt for pasta and to style
- Black pepper to style
- 3 ½ oz Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- Butter to grease oven dish
Directions
-
Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
-
Unfold pumpkin cubes on an oven tray. Drizzle with additional virgin olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and sage, and toss on the tray till the pumpkin is effectively coated. Place the tray within the oven and bake the pumpkin for 20-25 minutes.
-
Whereas the pumpkin is baking, warmth some additional virgin olive oil over medium warmth in a skillet and sauté the onions till they soften. This could take round 4-5 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and proceed cooking till they turn into tender, about 7-8 minutes.
-
As soon as the pumpkin is baked, combine half of it with the zucchini and onions within the skillet. Add the white wine and simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
-
Utilizing a blender, puree the remaining half of the roasted pumpkin with the cream or milk till you obtain a clean sauce consistency.
-
Whereas the greens cook dinner, convey a big pot of water to boil. As soon as boiling, salt the water after which add the pasta and cook dinner to al dente in line with the packet’s directions. Earlier than draining, put aside a cup of the pasta water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot.
-
Pour the pumpkin sauce over the drained pasta, stirring to mix. Combine effectively and, if wanted, alter the sauce consistency with the reserved pasta water.
-
Grease an oven dish with butter. Cowl the underside of the dish with a layer of pasta with pumpkin cream. Add a portion of the skillet-cooked greens. Dot with mozzarella items and sprinkle some grated cheese over. Proceed layering on this method then end with a breadcrumb sprinkle on high.
-
Bake in a preheated oven at 355°F (180°C) till the highest turns into golden and crispy, roughly 15-20 minutes. As soon as performed, enable it to relaxation for about 5 minutes earlier than diving in.
Notes
- To Make it Vegetarian: Use a vegetarian parmesan as an alternative of Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, as conventional variations include animal rennet.
- Selecting Pasta: Whereas I used penne, different pasta tubes like ziti, zitoni, candele, Trescatori, or mezze maniche can be utilized. Go for grooved or ridged (rigate) pasta, because the sauce adheres higher.
- Pasta Water: Reserve some pasta water earlier than draining. It may be used to regulate the consistency of the sauce, making it thinner if wanted.
- Pumpkin Sauce Preparation: Permit the roasted pumpkin to chill barely earlier than mixing with cream to forestall curdling.
- Sauce Consistency Earlier than Baking: Intention for a barely thinner consistency, because it thickens whereas baking.
- Storing Leftovers: Refrigerate in a sealed container for as much as 3-4 days. For prolonged storage, freeze in particular person parts and eat inside 3 months.
Vitamin
Energy: 956kcalCarbohydrates: 90gProtein: 33gFats: 48gSaturated Fats: 22gPolyunsaturated Fats: 3gMonounsaturated Fats: 19gLdl cholesterol: 99mgSodium: 689mgPotassium: 1314mgFiber: 6gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 12100IUVitamin C: 49mgCalcium: 588mgIron: 4mg
Pin for Later:
If you’re desirous about studying tips on how to make do-it-yourself pasta and several types of gnocchi, take a look at my store web page for some nice video on-line programs from my pals in Rome! Nothing beats studying to make pasta from Italians! Plus when you’re there why not order a duplicate of one in every of my pasta recipe cookbooks or checkout some really helpful pasta making instruments?
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