Bacon Pumpkin And Pesto Pasta Recipes

CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA WITH CRISPY BACON

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200°c and line a baking tray with foil.
• Combine the pumpkin, honey, salt and olive oil in a mixing bowl then transfer to the prepared baking tray. Add the thyme and place in the oven.
• Allow the pumpkin to roast for 30-45 minutes until starting to caramelize and cooked through.
• Remove from the oven, discard the thyme and transfer to a bowl then puree with an emersion blender. Add a splash of milk to make the blending a little easier.
• In a large frying pan, fry the onion and garlic until soft and translucent then add the pumpkin puree and stock. Allow to come to a simmer then stir in the bacon fat.
• Remove from the heat and add the parmesan cheese. Season to taste.
• Stir in the cooked pasta and toss to coat well. At this stage you can add a little of the pasta's cooking water to loosen the sauce if necessary.
• Serve the pasta topped with crispy bacon and a grating of Parmesan cheese.

BACON & PUMPKIN PASTA

Steps:

• Heat a heavy-based saucepan, add 1 tbsp olive oil and pancetta or bacon, then cook for a few mins. Add remaining oil and the onion. Cook for 5 mins, until the onion softens and the pancetta is crispy.
• Stir in the butter, then tip in the pumpkin or squash and sage. Mix well to combine, then season. Cover and cook for 6-8 mins, stirring occasionally until the pumpkin is soft, but not falling apart.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Drain and add to the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the parmesan and season. Serve in pasta bowls sprinkled with extra parmesan.

PASTA WITH PUMPKIN SEED PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large saucepan of generously salted water to a boil. Drop the garlic cloves into the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds to temper their sharpness. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cloves to a food processor or blender.
• Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, add the pumpkin seeds and a pinch each of salt and pepper to the garlic, and process until very finely ground. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the basil. Scoop 1/4 cup water from the saucepan with the boiling pasta and pour over the basil. Process the basil until ground to a paste. Add the Parmesan and oil, and pulse just until incorporated. Taste the pesto and season with enough salt and pepper to make it punchy.
• Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water until room temperature. Shake dry, then return to the saucepan, and add the pesto and tomatoes, if using. Stir well until everything is evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among dishes to serve right away or airtight containers to pack for lunch. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and Parmesan, and serve, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

BACON PUMPKIN AND PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
• Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper, and place the pumpkin in a single layer onto the prepared tray. Spray with olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake pumpkin in oven for around 25 minutes or until tender.
• Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil, then cook pasta according to the packet directions, until al dente. Drain and return to the pan.
• Saute the bacon in a shallow non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add pesto to pasta and toss until coated, then add pumpkin and bacon and toss again until well combined.
• Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

DINNER - BACON & PUMPKIN PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Method Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the pumpkin, in a single layer, on the prepared tray. Spray with olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain and return to the pan. Cook the bacon in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring, for 5 minutes or until crisp and golden. Add the pesto to the pasta and toss until coated. Add the pumpkin and bacon and toss until well combined. Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with parmesan. Serve immediately.

CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, shallow, flameproof casserole or frying pan over a low-medium heat and fry the onion with a pinch of salt for 10-15 mins until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min more. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, cook the pumpkin in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-15 mins until tender when pierced with a cutlery knife. Drain and tip into a blender (or use a hand blender). Blitz with 50ml milk and the onions until completely smooth, gradually adding more milk until the mixture is thick enough to just coat the back of a spoon (you may not need all the milk). Tip into a large frying pan with the tomato purée and mascarpone, and bring to a simmer over a low heat.
• Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the pumpkin sauce, parmesan and 50-100ml of the reserved water to loosen. Season and scatter with extra parmesan.