Fresh-roasted nuts, crispy bacon & creamy pumpkin: what’s not to love?! This simple yet delicious pumpkin, bacon & pine nut pasta dish ticks all the right boxes for flavour, texture, aroma & colour.
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Pumpkin is a versatile vegetable with such great colour & texture it’s no wonder we make the most of it when in season. (p.s. check out our pumpkin & leek soup recipe!). This easy-to-make pasta dish makes pumpkin a feature, & its creaminess contrasts beautifully with the freshly roasted pine nuts.
This is a satisfying meal without giving you that ‘heavy-in-the-tummy’ feeling. Ideal as an entree or a main course, this is a good recipe for a dinner party too. You can cook the ingredients ahead of time then simply boil the pasta & put it all together once your guests have arrived.
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Gather the ingredients then chop the garlic, bacon & pumpkin.
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Line a baking tray with baking paper and spray lightly with oil. Add the chopped pumpkin to the pan then spray again with oil. Bake for 20 minutes.
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While the pumpkin is cooking, dry-fry the pine nuts in a small pan, tossing frequently until they have browned.
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Fry the garlic gently, then add the bacon. I like to cook it until it’s browned a little. Cook the pasta then mix all your ingredients together. Garnish with black pepper & parmesan. Enjoy!
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Pumpkin, Bacon & Pine Nut Pasta
Equipment
- 1 stove
- 1 large cooking pot
- 2 frying pans one small, one large
- 1 Oven
- 1 roasting pan
- baking paper
Ingredients
- 750 grams pumpkin 1 kilo = just over 2 pounds
- 5 tbsp oil for frying bacon & garlic
- 3/4 cup pine nuts
- 5 cloves garlic
- 300 grams bacon
- 400 grams vermicelli you can use any shape of pasta you like
- spray oil for baking pumpkin
- parmesan cheese, sliced optional-for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (320F).
- Chop the bacon, garlic & pumpkin into small pieces.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper, spread the pumpkin pieces over it then coat them with spray oil. Bake for approx. 25 mins or until cooked through but not falling apart.
- While the pumpkin is baking, dry-roast the pine nuts over a low-to-medium heat in a small dry frying pan. Keep an eye on them, tossing frequently to ensure they brown but don't burn. Set aside once done.
- Next, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Gently fry the garlic for 3-4 minutes, then added the chopped bacon.
- Cook the bacon gently for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until cooked through and lightly browned.
- While the bacon is cooking, bring a large pot of water to the boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta as per instructions on the packet.
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl before serving.