This shouldn't have worked but it did. The pumpkin and cheese melded together to form a creamy sauce that clung perfectly to the pasta, and the tangy assertiveness of the pickled red onion, the woodsiness of the chopped cilantro and the slight heat of the roasted poblano added notes of interest to the dish that offset this creaminess. Also, the pumpkin added a nice boost of fiber to the pasta; a dietary rather than gustatory benefit.
4 portions of dried campanelle pasta
2 cups squash or pumpkin flesh (I used a 2 lb carnival squash)
2 Tbsps diced red onion
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsps chopped coriander
2 Tbsps chopped roasted peppers ( I used Poblanos which I had roasted but even canned pimento or roasted red pepper would work well too)
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsps grated Cotija cheese (or substitute Parmesan)
Salt to taste
Put a pan of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
Place the squash in the microwave, microwave on high for 5 minutes on each side. Set aside.
While the water is heating and the squash is cooking, chop the onion, place in a bowl with the vinegar. Set aside.
Chop the coriander and set aside, chop the peppers, measure out the grated cheese.
By this time, the pasta water should be boiling. Measure out what you consider 4 portions of pasta and cook according to the directions on the package.
While the pasta is cooking, cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and spoon out the flesh. Discard the seeds and chop the pulp roughly.
As soon as the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta water.
Place the pasta water and the squash flesh in the pan in which you cooked the pasta and return it to the heat.
Mash the squash until it has homogenized with the pasta water and formed a rough purée.
Add the pasta and the 1/3 cup of cheese to the pan and toss to combine the ingredients well together.
Drain the diced onion and then add it and the remaining ingredients to the pan. Stir to dispurse throughout the pasta.
Taste for salt and portion out into 4 pasta dishes.
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