This pasta with pumpkin and crunchy crumbs immediately evokes the flavor of pumpkin tortelli typical of my area. The crumbs also contain amaretti, which gives that unmistakable hint. The contrast between the softness of the pumpkin cubes and the crunchiness of the bread makes every bite interesting and never monotonous. It’s not the usual first course, but a dish that plays on balances. Of course, you must like the meeting of the pumpkin’s sweetness, the bittersweet of the amaretti and the savory note of the cheese. Make it yourself and enjoy the contrast between soft and crunchy. I assure you that just a few steps and simple ingredients are enough to bring a different first course to the table, perfect for sharing.
Other pumpkin pasta recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Servings
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for pasta with pumpkin and crunchy crumbs
In this recipe I used large fusilli because they catch the sauce perfectly. Regular fusilli work well too. Mezze maniche are also a suitable shape for this preparation.
- 12 oz fusilli
- 14 oz pumpkin pulp (weight after removing rind and seeds)
- 1 shallot (large)
- 1 slice rustic bread (about 2 oz (50–60 g))
- 5 amaretti (almond cookies)
- 2 tsp butter (about a knob (approx. 2 tsp))
- 1 oz Grana Padano, grated (or Parmesan)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Casserole/Pan
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Colander
Preparation of pasta with pumpkin and crunchy crumbs
Clean the pumpkin by removing the rind, all the seeds and inner fibers. Then wash it and cut it into pieces.
Peel the shallot and chop it finely. I used a small hand-pull chopper, a little kitchen ally that I find extremely practical and convenient. If you want to buy it you can find it by clicking HERE.
Cut the slice of bread into pieces, put them in a food processor together with the amaretti and a knob of butter, and pulse coarsely.
Heat a frying pan very well and toast this crumb mixture without any added fat until it becomes golden and crunchy. Turn off the heat, remove it from the pan to prevent burning, and set aside.
In a large pan heat a few tablespoons of oil and sauté the shallot. Let it sizzle for a moment, then add the pumpkin cubes.
Season with salt to taste and cook for about ten minutes, stirring often and adding a few tablespoons of hot water if necessary. At the end of cooking the cubes should be soft but still slightly firm.
Mash part of the pumpkin with a fork and loosen the sauce with a ladle of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, cook the fusilli in plenty of boiling salted water; drain them al dente, reserving a little cooking water, and transfer them to the pan with the sauce.
Stir carefully, then add the grated cheese and incorporate it thoroughly. If needed, loosen the sauce with a few tablespoons of the pasta water.
Divide the fusilli among individual plates, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and scatter the bread-and-amaretti crumb mixture on top. Serve the pasta with pumpkin and crunchy crumbs immediately so the bread keeps its crispness. Enjoy! Paola
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