What the--this isn't a two-weeks-late summary of the Great British Bake Off! This is not the content I expected to receive from the food blog I subscribed to! Well, tough lucksies, This recipe was so good, it demanded its time in the spotlight!

I should have written this up before we finished our leftovers because now I'm fiending for it again.

It's fall, y'all! Well, it's been fall, but now we're in that terrifying space between the end of Halloween Season and the beginning of Christmas Season (this space is sometimes called November). There aren't any fun decorations to entertain us, so we have a chance to really focus on fall flavors--plus, the encoldening weather really invites comfort food and desserts.

This pumpkin bucatini hits that comfort note perfectly. Bucatini--my new favorite pasta--has a nice bite to it, and a good amount of surface area to coat with creamy pumpkin-mascarpone sauce. Top with some herby, almondy, toasty breadcrumbs, and you've got something really special going.

If you'd like some pumpkin placemats like these, tough, Kendall made them.

On that note: While it might be tempting to use the spaghetti that's already in your pantry, or substitute cream cheese when you have trouble finding mascarpone, I'd really recommend treating yourself. This especially goes for the breadcrumbs: using dried instead of fresh will not have the same texture. That said, some pumpkin pasta is better than no pumpkin pasta.

Enjoy fall! Delicious, delicious fall.

Pumpkin Bucatini with Toasted Almond Breadcrumbs - (Serves 4; total time 30 minutes)

Ingredients

  • For the Toasted Almond Breadcrumbs:
    • 4 oz (1/4 lb) bread (we used leftover dinner rolls, you can use homemade bread, or sliced, or whatever)
    • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
    • Salt, to taste
  • For the Pumpkin Bucatini:
    • 1 lb bucatini (or other pasta, if desired)
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • 2 small shallots, minced
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
    • 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
    • Freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Start boiling a large pot of water.
  2. While you wait interminably for the water to boil: Pulse the bread in a food processor until roughly chopped, then add the almonds and pulse until rough crumbs are formed. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; once hot, add the rosemary sprig. Fry until crisp on both sides, then transfer the rosemary to a paper-towel-lined plate.
  3. Add the breadcrumbs to the skillet and lower the heat to medium-low. Toast for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until crisp. Take the rosemary off the plate, transfer the breadcrumbs to the plate, then season with salt and crumble the rosemary over the top. Wipe out the skillet, return it to medium heat, and start melting the butter.
  4. Hopefully (god) the water is finally boiling. Add the bucatini, cooking for 1 minute less than the package instructions, making sure to poke it around to get all the pasta under the water. (You'll need pasta water for the next step, so reserve some if the next step takes too long and the pasta finishes first.)
  5. Once the butter is melted, add to the skillets the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt, then pour in the cream. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in the pumpkin, honey, cinnamon, and cayenne. Simmer for 1 minute.
  6. Ladle 1 cup of starchy pasta water from the pasta pot to the skillet. Bring to a simmer again, and let cook until starting to thicken. When the pasta finishes, drain it and add it to the sauce, stirring for a few minutes until the sauce clings to the pasta.
  7. Stir in the mascarpone and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir as the cheese melts, then season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Plate the pasta, and top with the toasted almond breadcrumbs (don't forget about this!). Enjoy!

Adapted from theoriginaldish.com

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