Sugar Baby Carbonara
One of the most ubiquitous signs of fall is the pumpkin and squash. Whether you’re carving it, baking it, or using it for decorating your front stoop, pumpkins are everywhere. Sugar-baby pumpkins are the best for cooking. These little guys are small, about 10 inches in diameter. and can be found anywhere - the grocery store, Lowes, farm stands, you name it. When roasted, the meat of this pumpkin is soft, sweet, and creamy, making it ideal for pie or pasta sauce.
This recipe calls for roasting a whole pumpkin but if you don’t have time, the canned stuff will also work. Carbonara is one of my favorite comfort foods. It is very simple and uses ingredients you most likely already have - bacon, eggs, and cream. Due to its simplicity, it is also easy to riff on, such as adding mashed pumpkin. If you’re unfamiliar with carbonara, you might questions the use of raw eggs but hear me out, the hot pasta will cook the eggs just enough to make it safe but retain that creamy goodness.
Happy Fall and Happy Halloween!
Ingredients
1 sugar baby pumpkin
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
5 oz diced pancetta
1 large shallot, finely minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1 C heavy cream
4 cups baby spinach
1 box bow tie pasta
Directions
Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds, stem, and end. Cut into 1" cubes and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast the pumpkin for 25 minutes, stirring once, until the pumpkin is soft. Cool slightly, then transfer to a bowl and mash with a potato masher or spoon.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and keep everything hot.
Cook the pancetta in a heavy skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat and add the shallot, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the thyme and remove from heat.
Mix the mashed pumpkin with the egg, egg yolks, and cream until smooth. Add the spinach, pancetta, and hot pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add a little pasta water.
