pumpkin Overload? Not even a little. From lattes to loaves, fall is the time to load up on these fiber and vitamin-rich veggies – and hyper-local foodies, Heirloom LA, are serving them up everywhere, including this pumpkin seed-dusted dish prepared for a recent music education fundraiser with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
If you’re looking for an excuse to hit the pumpkin patch this month, this whole wheat pumpkin pasta dish is it. Heirloom’s recipe can be made with pumpkins (obviously) or any other squash you stumble upon: acorn, butternut, kabocha and sweet dumpling all work perfectly!
Baked Pumpkin Pasta with Pepitas + Maple Syrup
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients:
2 pumpkins or large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut in 1-2” cubes
2 onions, peeled and diced
6 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced
1/2 gallon vegetable stock or water
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup white wine
1 head of green kale, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, toasted lightly on olive oil and salt
3 cups dry pasta, preferably whole wheat, rigatoni, penne, fusilli or elbows
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 Degrees.
Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, onions and garlic with 1/2 cup of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix and transfer to baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toasted on the tips and the pumpkin is tender. (Check by tasting or sticking a toothpick/knife into the pumpkin to see if it goes in and out easily). Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
In the soup pot, combine the vegetable stock/water, maple syrup, 1/2 cup olive oil and white wine and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Add dry pasta and boil until “al dente” or desired tenderness. With your slotted spoon, remove the pasta and transfer to your mixing bowl.
To the boiling vegetable stock, add half of the roasted pumpkin, onion and garlic. Mix and boil for an additional 2 minutes. Blend until smooth.
Combine the kale and remaining roasted pumpkin with the cooked pasta in the mixing bowl. Pour the pumpkin mix over the pasta and transfer to the casserole dish and bake in oven until toasty on top. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of olive oil to serve.
