Pasta with pumpkin and amaretti

Name: Pasta with pumpkin and amaretti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Mezze Maniche Rigate pasta 11.3 oz; Delica pumpkin (to be cleaned) 1.4 lbs; Amaretti cookies 1.1 oz; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese (to be grated) 1.8 oz; Garlic 1 clove; Sage to taste; Nutmeg to taste; Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

it es fr de br

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Sebastian Fitarau

Pasta with pumpkin and amaretti is, well, a fantastic pumpkin pasta recipe. Really good stuff. It's Northern Italian comfort food at its best. In Lombardy, especially around Mantua, folks love this dish for its mix of sweet and savory flavors. And the sauce? It starts with soft Delica pumpkin—cooks down until it’s velvety and rich—and then it is tossed with short pasta like mezze maniche or rigatoni.

And here's the thing: What really sets it apart from other Italian pumpkin pasta dishes is the handful of crumbled amaretti biscuits added at the end. Those crispy little cookies add a surprising touch—just the right amount of crunch and a hint of almond that wakes up the whole plate. It's so, so good. This combo comes from the region’s famous tortelli di zucca, where pumpkin and amaretti have been paired together for ages, especially in classic Mantuan recipes.

You end up with a bowl that’s creamy and a little bit sweet, with a flavor that feels warm and fragrant—totally autumn in every bite. I mean, instead of the usual pumpkin pasta, you get something a bit more festive, almost like a shortcut to pumpkin ravioli but way, way easier to throw together. Folks in Lombardy keep it simple: short ingredient list, quick cooking time, perfect for a family lunch or when you want something elegant but low-effort for dinner guests.

Those amaretti crumbs? They’re not just for show—they really bring out the pumpkin’s natural sweetness and make the dish feel special, almost like you’re having a celebration. Sometimes people add a touch of sage or even a bit of browned butter to bring out that sage butter sauce vibe. But to be honest, even just as it is, this pumpkin pasta recipe manages to be both comforting and a little fancy. Perfect for chilly nights when you want something moist and satisfying.

Once you’ve tried it, plain pumpkin pasta just won’t taste the same—it’s one of those traditional Italian recipes you’ll end up thinking about all season long. Whether you're planning a cozy dinner or a festive gathering, this dish will surely impress and delight everyone at the table.

How to prepare Pasta with pumpkin and amaretti

To prepare the pumpkin and amaretti pasta, start by cleaning the pumpkin: remove the seeds and inner fibers with a spoon 1, then peel with a sharp knife 2 and cut the flesh into regular cubes about 3/4 inch (2 cm) 3; you'll get about 18 oz (500 g) of cleaned pumpkin.

Heat a generous amount of oil in a large pan, add the garlic and sage leaves 4, and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is golden 4. Add the pumpkin 5 and season with ground black pepper 6.

Salt 7 and flavor with a pinch of nutmeg 8, then mix well 9.

Add some water to aid cooking. Cook for 10–15 minutes with the lid on 10, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is soft. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta. At this point, remove some pumpkin cubes for the final garnish 11, and discard the garlic and sage 12.

Mash the remaining pumpkin directly in the pan to obtain a coarse cream 13. If necessary, add a splash of pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency 14. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water 15.

Drain the pasta al dente and transfer it to the pan with the pumpkin cream 16. Add some cooking water to better blend the sauce 17, then mix with grated cheese and a drizzle of oil 18.

Plate by distributing the reserved pumpkin cubes 19 and complete with freshly crumbled amaretti 20. For a finishing touch, add some chopped sage leaves. Your pumpkin and amaretti pasta is ready to be served 21!