Pasta with Pumpkin and Amaretti
Ingredients
- 11 oz (320 g) mezze maniche pasta
- 4 cups (550 g) cleaned pumpkin (about 1.4 lbs / 650 g before cleaning)
- ¼ cup (30 g) amaretti cookies
- 2 garlic cloves (about 1½ tsp / 8 g)
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) extra virgin olive oil
- 2½ teaspoons (15 g) salt
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.2 g) black pepper
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) fresh sage leaves
Instructions
-
Prepare the Pumpkin:
Cut the pumpkin into cubes about ¾ inch (2 cm). In a large pan, heat a generous drizzle of olive oil and add the peeled garlic cloves and sage leaves. Sauté over medium heat until the garlic turns golden. -
Cook the Pumpkin:
Add the pumpkin cubes to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Add about ⅓ cup (100 ml) of water to help it cook. Cover and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is tender. -
Mash the Pumpkin:
Once cooked, remove the garlic and sage. Set aside a few pumpkin cubes for garnish. Mash the rest with a fork or blend into a smooth purée. -
Cook the Pasta:
Cook the mezze maniche in plenty of salted boiling water. Drain when al dente. -
Combine:
Add the drained pasta to the pan with the pumpkin purée. Stir well to coat. Add grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix until creamy. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. -
Serve:
Plate the pasta and garnish each serving with the reserved pumpkin cubes, crumbled amaretti cookies, and optionally, a bit of chopped sage.
