It’s Fall!
It’s Pumpkin and Squash season. So, why not have some pasta? This recipe is inspired by a traditional Italian Dish: Pasta Carbonara wich calls for Pancetta (guanciale) and a creamy egg sauce with cheese.
I kept the Pancetta, but ditched the eggs. Instead, I’m using the creaminess (and starch) of the Squash to achieve the desired richness. Then, there is the sage. A perfect marriage with everything else, included the Pecorino cheese and the extra pepper on top.
So, here it is, a great recipe and a Carbonara pasta that Italians would call IMPURE 🙂
Seriously…
ROASTED PUMPKIN or SQUASH CARBONARA STYLE PASTA
Ingredients for 4 to 6 people
Level: Easy
Time: 30 min plus time for roasting the vegetables
INGREDIENTS:
2 T Extra Vergin Olive Oil Plus 1/4 C for roasting the vegetables
4 oz pancetta, chopped
1/4 C white wine to deglaze
1 Tbs fresh sage, chopped ~ plus a Sprig for roasting
3 cups of diced pumpkin kabocha or butternut
1 shallot or small onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups light broth, vegetable or chicken
12 oz PASTA of your choice, but I like Spaghetti
4 T Cream cheese
Pecorino Cheese and Pepper for garnish
Directions:
Roast the pumpkin (or butternut) at 350F with the olive oil and a bundle of sage for about 40 min. Until the edges are a little crisp, golden, and the sage is hard and fried. Remove from the oven, reserve the sage on a paper napkin. Set aside.
Meantime, cook the pancetta and the 2 Tbs of olive oil, until fragrant. Add the chopped sage and keep cooking. Deglaze with wine if available.
Set aside half of the pancetta for a later use as a garnish over the finished dish.
Add the cooked pumpkin to the pancetta left in the pan.  Also add the minced scallion  or onion and the garlic.  Cook to fragrant. When the sauce starts to stick, add the broth and keep cooking.
At this point the Squash sauce looks like in the picture above.
Now, cook the pasta al Dente (usually a couple of minutes less than what suggested on the package) in salty water. Taste the water! Should taste like the ocean.
Remove the noodles from the pot with water  and transfer them into the one with the pumpkin. Use thongs, much more practical.
Taste for salt and pepper. Build a strong flavor before adding the fat.
Keep cooking stirring until the pasta is fully coated and creamy. Add the cream cheese and stir until it is all melted and has coated the noodles.
Serve topped with the crisp pancetta and the Pecorino. Top with the fried sage.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
