You might have noticed—the onslaught of the pumpkin! It’s happening earlier and earlier.
By the time August arrives, there are Halloween and fall decorations overflowing the shelves at grocery stores and garden centers. Pumpkin drinks at coffee shops. Mums for sale that won’t survive the heat of late summer. T-shirts proclaiming, “It’s fall, y’all” (ugh). And everyone saying that fall is their “favorite season.”
Well, Italian cooking has taken a turn toward loving the pumpkin, as well. You can find pumpkin and its first cousin, butternut squash, incorporated into pastas, risottos or simply roasted for a tasty side dish.
Since pasta with “red sauce” was my mother’s specialty, pumpkin was relegated to a jack o’ lantern on the front stoop at our house. But I have been trying to incorporate this healthy vegetable into many of my fall and winter dishes. And it has become easy because many grocery stores and farmers markets now sell bags of cubed pumpkin and butternut squash that are ready to cook. No need to risk life and limb trying to peel and cut these thick-skinned fall “treasures.”
How about pumpkin and squash pasta? I know there is pumpkin ravioli out there. I went to the “Silver Spoon Cookbook,” as I often do, for some information on authentic Italian recipes. It’s considered the bible of cooking in Italy and a great source for learning about what they are really cooking in Italy.
I learned there is an authentic pumpkin pasta dish that originates from northern Italy. It is called “Maltagliati with Pumpkin.” In Italian, maltagliati means “badly cut,” which refers to the leftover scraps of fresh pasta dough that remain after cutting ribbon pasta like fettuccine or tagliatelle. They look like little squares that I thought resemble the potpie dough I used to make for soup.
I thought some adjustments were in order. The first was to use fresh pasta that is easily available, like pre-packaged gnocchi (De Cecco makes good ones), or tortellini (cheese is best), like those made by Buitoni. Neither of these is as good as homemade, but work well for a weeknight meal. Because cut pumpkin cubes are harder to find than butternut squash, squash is a good substitute.
Like many Italian pasta dishes, the ingredient list is relatively short. That means using real sweet cream butter, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and nutmeg that wasn’t purchased three Thanksgivings ago. This dish is easy to make and doesn’t require dragging out the food processor.
Maltagliati with Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- ½ cup butter (I always use unsalted)
- 4 cups diced pumpkin or butternut squash (size should be about ½ inch)
- 12 to 16 ounces pasta such as gnocchi, tortellini or small ravioli
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat the oil and 6 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy, deep sauté pan.
- Add the pumpkin or squash and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. The pumpkin should be tender but not breaking apart.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water until it is “al dente.”
- Drain the pasta and stir it into the sauté pan with squash or pumpkin.
- Add the remaining butter, the nutmeg and a little freshly ground pepper (taste for salt but likely not needed because Parmesan cheese can be salty).
- Add the Parmesan cheese and gently mix everything together.
- You can serve right from the skillet. A fresh green salad is a good partner.
Some additional tips: Squash and pumpkin go beautifully with sage. So, if you like this herb, chop a few leaves and mix into the pasta or sprinkle on top. Another tasty addition would be some crumbled amaretti cookie on top for some crunch and sweetness (it really is good!). And, finally, if you prefer a creamier pasta dish, add a little heavy cream at the same time as the Parmesan cheese.
This is a comforting late fall pasta dish. And I’ve been trying other recipes with pumpkin and squash. One of my favorites is roasting cubes of squash or pumpkin on a sheet pan, glazed with melted butter and pure maple syrup. It goes so well with baked chicken breasts or pork chops.
Enjoy the waning days of fall. And Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
