If ‘pumpkin’ still brings to mind basic, overdone dishes, it’s time to shift your thinking. This recipe takes butternut squash and elevates it with nutty richness, pancetta’s savory depth, and a fearless mix of herbs and spices. The result? A dish that’s robust, a little rustic, and far from predictable. Forget anything resembling ‘pumpkin spice’ here—just pure, unapologetic flavor that makes squash a star on any autumn table.
Pumpkin! it goes way beyond pie. It’s baked into everything from cheesecake and cupcakes to mac ‘n cheese and even jelly. Why? Because when done right, pumpkin’s sweet, tender flesh becomes a blank canvas for flavor.
Tip: Don’t hold back on the seasoning! With its mild base, pumpkin takes well to anything—savory, sweet, spicy, or even tangy. Just be bold, and you’ll discover it can adapt to any dish, with flavors that go way beyond the basics.
This specific recipe uses butternut squash. Butternut squash is particularly good for purees and soups because it becomes incredibly soft and smooth when cooked. But it can also be roasted in wedges and served as a side dish. Its flavor is nutty and buttery, making it ideal for savory dishes. It pairs especially well with bold flavors like garlic, curry, chili, and, of course, lots of fresh herbs. So set aside any hesitations and dive into the spices!
Regardless of how you plan to prepare butternut squash, it does need to be peeled and seeded. It may sound like a lot of work, but it’s really not. Thanks to its pear-like shape, peeling is straightforward, and it has so few seeds that it’s quick to deseed.
This quick orecchiette recipe with butternut and pancetta is fall comfort food at its finest. Each bite brings a balance of tender, nutty squash, smoky pancetta, and pasta that soaks up the warm, herb-infused sauce. It’s a dish that’s both rustic and rich, with an effortless depth from roasted garlic, creamy ricotta, and fresh thyme. Ideal for a cozy night in, it’s simple enough for weeknights yet flavorful enough to impress, showing off butternut squash in a way that’s anything but ordinary.
Orecchiette with Butternut Squash and Pancetta
Ingredients
- 500 g orecchiette
- Olive oil
- 250 g diced pancetta if unavailable, substitute with mild smoked bacon
- 1 shallot
- 4 large garlic cloves
- Generous splash of dry white wine
- 1/2 butternut squash
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp ricotta
- 2 egg yolks
- Pepper salt
- A pinch of ground allspice
- Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Spread the small squash cubes on a baking sheet with three unpeeled garlic cloves. Rinse the thyme, pat dry, and mix half of it with the squash. Keep the thyme on the stems for a rustic look. Drizzle the squash with a little olive oil, season lightly with salt, and put it in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally and making sure it doesn’t burn.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Peel the shallot and remaining garlic clove and dice finely. Strip about 2 tablespoons of thyme leaves from the stems.
- In a hot pan, cook the pancetta without oil until crispy. Add the shallot and garlic, and sauté until translucent. Deglaze with a generous splash of white wine, let it reduce briefly, then add one ladle of pasta water, and reduce the heat to let the mixture simmer gently.
- Add half of the thyme, season with pepper, and stir in a generous tablespoon of ricotta until fully dissolved, then remove from the heat.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions. While the pasta cooks, separate the eggs and whisk the yolks into the sauce while stirring constantly.
- Drain the pasta, keeping it slightly wet, and add it back to the pot. Fold in the sauce, mixing it evenly. The residual heat from the pasta will bind the egg in the sauce, coating the pasta evenly.
- Remove the garlic cloves and thyme stems from the baking sheet and fold the tender squash into the pasta. Season with pepper, salt, and a hint of ground allspice.
- Plate the pasta and garnish with the remaining thyme leaves and freshly grated Parmesan.
Each forkful of orecchiette with butternut and pancetta is a celebration of fall flavors—comforting yet sophisticated, it proves that squash can steal the show and leave you craving more.