Pasta with Pumpkin Cream

Pasta with pumpkin cream is an autumnal, creamy, and comforting dish. It is also highly versatile: you can add spices, herbs, or other ingredients according to your personal taste.

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or a short pasta that you prefer)
• 600 g of cleaned and diced pumpkin
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 500 ml of vegetable or chicken broth
• 100 ml of cooking cream
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Butter (for a creamier touch, if desired)
• Chopped parsley or fresh thyme for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large frying pan or saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until transparent.
2. Add the pumpkin cubes to the pan and let them slightly brown.
3. Pour the broth into the pan with the pumpkin, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook until the pumpkin is soft.
4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions, being careful to keep it al dente.
5. When the pumpkin is cooked, blend everything with an immersion blender until you get a smooth cream. If desired, you can add a bit of butter to make the cream even more velvety.
6. Add the cream and Parmesan cheese to the pumpkin cream, mix well, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to your liking.
7. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the pumpkin cream. Stir well to combine the pasta with the cream.
8. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley or fresh thyme, and if you like, an additional sprinkling of Parmesan.

Curiosity

Pumpkin is very versatile in the kitchen and is used in many preparations, from appetizers to desserts. The sweet flavor of pumpkin balances well with spices like nutmeg and pepper, but also with more intense flavors like gorgonzola or sausage in more elaborate versions of pasta with pumpkin cream.