Pumpkin Carbonara
Who doesn’t like seasonal spins on classics?
Pumpkin carbonara is an autumnal spin on the traditional Italian pasta dish, integrating the rich and sweet flavours of pumpkin into the creamy sauce typically made with eggs, Pecorino cheese and guanciale. This dish not only captures the core of autumn, but also offers a comforting, hearty meal that is perfect for cooler weather. By adding some pumpkin puree, the dish takes on a new dimension, allowing for a balance between sweet and savoury.
First step is roasting pumpkin until it’s soft and mashy. Or get a store-bought one. But homemade is always better, especially since you can use pumpkin puree for literally a hundred other recipes as well! This pumpkin puree serves as a fantastic base for the sauce, giving the dish a natural sweetness and vibrant colour.
Once you have that, we’re moving over onto guanciale, which adds a savoury element to the otherwise sweet sauce. Note that guanciale is often considered the superior choice over pancetta for making a carbonara due to its unique flavour profile and fat content. Sourced from the pork cheek or jowl, guanciale gives a rich, savoury taste that infuses the dish with depth and complexity. Its higher fat content compared to pancetta allows for a silkier texture and a more indulgent flavour that clings perfectly to the pasta. While pancetta provides a satisfying saltiness, guanciale delivers a more pronounced, aromatic flavour that elevates the overall experience of the dish, staying true to authentic Roman culinary traditions.
The crispy bits of guanciale provide a contrast in texture and flavour, elevating the dish from simple to something out of this world.
Pecorino cheese plays a vital role in any carbonara, together with egg yolks. Freshly grated Pecorino Romano has a strong, salty character, which balances the sweetness of the pumpkin. The cheese not only thickens the sauce, but also adds a sharpness that enhances the dish significantly. When combined with cheese and egg yolks, the puree creates a creamy consistency that goes beautifully with the pasta, there is just one trick - to turn the heat off, as you need to add it at the right temperature and stir for a minute with the pasta so it melts beautifully, creating an indulgent creaminess without clumping.
So what pumpkin recipe are we doing next with the leftover roasted pumpkin?
Start with cooking linguine in salted water until al-dente and save 150 ml of pasta water.
In a non-stick pan fry the guanciale for 2-3 minutes until crispy.
Beat egg yolks with freshly grated pecorino cheese and a lot of black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of pasta water in the sauce and give it a good stir.
Stir in the pumpkin puree to the guanciale, add pasta water as needed to make it creamy, then add the pasta and stir for around for a minute, allowing it to combine with the flavour of guanciale and pumpkin.
Remove from heat and gradually add the sauce into the pasta while stirring until combined.
Pumpkin Carbonara
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start with cooking linguine in salted water until al-dente and save 150 ml of pasta water.
- In a non-stick pan fry the guanciale for 2-3 minutes until crispy.
- Beat egg yolks with freshly grated pecorino cheese and a lot of black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of pasta water in the sauce and give it a good stir.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree to the guanciale, add pasta water as needed to make it creamy, then add the pasta and stir for around for a minute, allowing it to combine with the flavour of guanciale and pumpkin.
- Remove from heat and gradually add the sauce into the pasta while stirring until combined.
