This week’s recipe is all about pumpkin. No, not the flavourless and overgrown monstrosities you get at Halloween, but proper sweet, nutty, comforting pumpkin (or squash). It’s a real winter vegetable, and a very versatile one at that. Aside from using it in this recipe, you could turn it into:
Pumpkin velouté
Chilean beef and pumpkin stew
Oatmeal pumpkin cookies
Plain old pumpkin purée, to store in the freezer for later use (just steam and mash chunks of it)
On top of all that yumminess, it’s also very good for you: it contains vitamins A, B6, C and E, is a good source of iron and Magnesium, and is high in fibre.
If Halloween monsters is the only sort you’re familiar with, be sure to watch this useful guide on some varieties of squash and pumpkin that are commonly available.
Pumpkin velouté
Chilean beef and pumpkin stew
Oatmeal pumpkin cookies
Plain old pumpkin purée, to store in the freezer for later use (just steam and mash chunks of it)
On top of all that yumminess, it’s also very good for you: it contains vitamins A, B6, C and E, is a good source of iron and Magnesium, and is high in fibre.
If Halloween monsters is the only sort you’re familiar with, be sure to watch this useful guide on some varieties of squash and pumpkin that are commonly available.
Taleggio is an Italian cheese I’ve fallen in love with - it’s creamy, tangy and melts beautifully. An added bonus (to me at least) is that it’s local to the Milan area, so I can get it from the cheese merchant at the market at a snip.
The only thing to watch out for is its salt content. It’s really, really salty. I don’t give it to my little boy at all, so if I’m making this recipe for him I use a low-salt cream cheese or ricotta instead.
Pumpkin and taleggio is a combination I’ve seen crop up in pasta, risotto, orzotto and even as a soup.
Serves: 4
Pots/pans to be washed up afterwards: 2
Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
450 g penne
2 leeks, thinly sliced
a small pumpkin/squash (try kabocha or crown prince), cut into small thin slices
150 g taleggio, cut into chunks
handful of walnuts, chopped
olive oil
black pepper
sea salt
grated parmesan, for serving
Put the penne on to boil in a large pot of salted water.
Heat a generous amount of olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Stir in the leeks until they’re evenly coated, and leave to soften over a low heat for 3-4 minutes (don’t let them go brown). Stir in the pumpkin slices until they’re evenly coated in oil. Add a splash of water and cover. Leave to simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft enough to squash with a fork.
The only thing to watch out for is its salt content. It’s really, really salty. I don’t give it to my little boy at all, so if I’m making this recipe for him I use a low-salt cream cheese or ricotta instead.
Pumpkin and taleggio is a combination I’ve seen crop up in pasta, risotto, orzotto and even as a soup.
Serves: 4
Pots/pans to be washed up afterwards: 2
Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
450 g penne
2 leeks, thinly sliced
a small pumpkin/squash (try kabocha or crown prince), cut into small thin slices
150 g taleggio, cut into chunks
handful of walnuts, chopped
olive oil
black pepper
sea salt
grated parmesan, for serving
Put the penne on to boil in a large pot of salted water.
Heat a generous amount of olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Stir in the leeks until they’re evenly coated, and leave to soften over a low heat for 3-4 minutes (don’t let them go brown). Stir in the pumpkin slices until they’re evenly coated in oil. Add a splash of water and cover. Leave to simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft enough to squash with a fork.
Take the leek and pumpkin mixture off the heat, add to the penne, and immediately stir in the taleggio. Be quite vigorous - you want the pumpkin to break up and coat the penne, and the taleggio to melt. Season with black pepper and a little salt (remember the taleggio is salty already!).
Serve with grated parmesan and chopped walnuts sprinkled over the top (note: do not give whole or chopped nuts to small children, as they pose a choking hazard).
There it is, one of my favourite pumpkin dishes. What’s yours?
Serve with grated parmesan and chopped walnuts sprinkled over the top (note: do not give whole or chopped nuts to small children, as they pose a choking hazard).
There it is, one of my favourite pumpkin dishes. What’s yours?
