Cavatelli with Bacon and Pumpkin

Cavatelli with bacon and pumpkin is a charming autumnal dish that embraces the flavors of the season. Here is the recipe with an Italian twist:

Ingredients

• 400 g of cavatelli (if you don’t have them, you can use another type of short pasta)
• 200 g of pumpkin, already cleaned and cut into cubes
• 150 g of diced smoked bacon
• 1 small onion
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan for garnish
• A sprig of rosemary (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the finely chopped onion until it becomes translucent.
3. Add the pumpkin cubes to the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes or until they begin to soften. If you have a sprig of rosemary, you can add it at this stage to flavor.
4. Add the smoked bacon and let it brown well until it becomes crispy.
5. In the meantime, cook the cavatelli in boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente.
6. Drain the cavatelli, reserving some of the cooking water, and transfer them to the skillet with the pumpkin and bacon.
7. Stir well over the heat to blend the flavors, adding some of the pasta cooking water if necessary to make it creamier.
8. Taste and adjust salt and pepper according to personal preference.
9. Serve the cavatelli hot and sprinkle with grated Parmesan before bringing to the table.

Enjoy your meal!

Curiosity

Cavatelli is a type of pasta originating from Southern Italy, particularly from the Molise region. They are also known in other regions by different names and can be made with either durum wheat semolina or soft wheat flour.