Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Rosemary Almond Breadcrumbs
creamy pumpkin pasta made with bucatini and a sweet & savory sauce then topped with rosemary almond breadcrumbs
servings: 4
Ingredients
Scale
Rosemary Almond Breadcrumbs
- 4 oz fresh italian bread, roughly chopped
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large sprig of rosemary
- kosher salt
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
- ¾ lb bucatini (or any pasta)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 small shallots, finely minced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- For the breadcrumbs, pulse the bread in a food processor until roughly chopped. Add the almonds. Continue to pulse until coarse crumbs are formed. Heat a 12” skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the rosemary. Fry for a minute or so until crisp on both sides. Transfer the rosemary to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Add the breadcrumb mixture to the oil. Turn the heat to medium-low. Toast for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Transfer the crumbs to the plate. Season with a pinch of salt. Crumble the rosemary over top.
- Drop the bucatini in the boiling water. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes less than the package’s instructions. Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat.
- Add the butter and let it melt. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Season with a pinch of salt. Pour in the cream. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in the pumpkin, honey, cinnamon, and cayenne. Simmer for a minute.
- Ladle in 1 cup of starchy pasta water from the pasta pot. Bring to a simmer again and let cook for a minute or so until starting to thicken. Drain the pasta and add it straight to the sauce. Stir for a couple of minutes until the sauce clings to the pasta.
- Lastly, stir in the mascarpone and parmesan cheese. Continue to stir as the cheeses melt. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Plate the pasta with the breadcrumbs and lots of parmesan cheese over top.