Preparation

• If the large shrimp are frozen/thawed, wait until they are soft enough to clean easily without breaking.
  Clean the large shrimp
  Gently separate the heads from the bodies.

  ^{Do not throw away the heads: set them aside as a base for a possible broth with shrimp heads or shrimp sauce.}

• Shell the large shrimp.
  First, remove the black vein, the intestine, whose content is not toxic but can spoil our dishes:
  • with a sharp knife, make an incision along the back of the bodies;
  • pull out the black vein or intestine using a toothpick.

  

• Rinse the shelled and incised shrimp thoroughly under running water, then let them drain in a colander.
  Pat the residual water with kitchen paper towels.
  Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator at least half an hour before cooking them.
  Cut the shrimp into chunks.

• Clean the pumpkin.
  Slice it and remove the skin.
  Dice the flesh; the smaller the pieces, the faster they will cook.

  Put the pumpkin cubes in a saucepan [small or large depending on the amount of flesh].
  Add just enough water to cover the pumpkin cubes.
  Bring to a boil and let simmer with a lid on low heat for 5 minutes.
  Once off the heat, add a vegetable bouillon cube [optional] and mix with a silicone spatula until dissolved between the pumpkin.
  Add salt and grind the pepper.

  Blend with an immersion blender directly in the saucepan or in a tall, narrow glass.

  → or, simply, prepare boiled or oven-baked and blended pumpkin.

• I used frozen porcini mushrooms, a handful is enough.

  In a pan, heat a sprinkle of garlic powder.
  Deglaze with a small glass of white wine.
  Pour the still-frozen porcini mushrooms into the pan, stir, and fry over high heat until completely thawed, just a few minutes.
  Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, plenty of chopped parsley, and mix.

• Pour the shrimp into the pan, joining them with the mushrooms, stir, and fry quickly over high heat.
  Pour the pumpkin into the pan, joining it with the mushrooms and shrimp, and bring to a boil.
  Mix until reaching a creamy and thick consistency.

  Off the heat, add the saffron [optional] and mix.

• Cook the pasta, rinse it under running water, and drain it.
  Meanwhile, heat the mushroom, shrimp, and pumpkin sauce.

  Pour the pasta into the pan with the sauce and mix to blend.

  Plate it.
  Grind a bit more pepper.

  Your pasta with porcini mushrooms and shrimp with pumpkin cream is ready.

  Enjoy your meal!