Baked pasta with pumpkin and béchamel is a very tasty and flavorful first course with the addition of speck, rosemary, and provolone, which add an extra touch of flavor and aroma to this very appetizing dish suitable for any occasion.
It is a very creamy dish with the unique and unmistakable taste of oven gratin, furthermore, this dish is made even richer and more flavorful by the spicy provolone, which when melted gives a stronger taste to the pasta.
Baked pasta with pumpkin and béchamel is a quick recipe that is prepared in a few minutes, the ideal is to use a short pasta shape such as: rigatoni, sedanini, tortiglioni, or any other shape of your liking.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2-3 people
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for Baked Pasta with Pumpkin and Béchamel
- 10.5 oz yellow pumpkin (cleaned)
- Half onion
- 1.75 oz speck (strips)
- 7 oz short ribbed pasta
- 1.75 oz grana padano (grated)
- 2.75 oz spicy provolone
- as needed broth or water
- as needed salt
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 cup ml milk
- 0.7 oz butter
- 0.7 oz all-purpose flour
- as needed salt
- as needed nutmeg
Tools
- Frying Pan
- Small Pot
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Casserole Dish
- Oven
Preparation for Baked Pasta with Pumpkin and Béchamel
Start by cleaning and cutting the pumpkin into small cubes. Take a large frying pan, pour in some oil and the chopped onion, sauté and brown for a couple of minutes, then add the pumpkin cubes.
Sauté over high heat for a few more minutes.Lower the heat and add the speck and rosemary, sauté for a few more minutes, then continue cooking the pumpkin for about 8 minutes, add salt and then cover with broth or water.
In the meantime, prepare the ingredients for the béchamel.
Find the preparation procedure here with video recipe.
The béchamel should be quite soft.After about 8 minutes of pumpkin cooking, mash a bit with a fork to make it creamier, then add the pasta and cook directly in the pan.
Adjust the salt and cook the pasta al dente for about another 8 minutes.
Stir occasionally and if more broth is needed, add it.
When cooking is complete, remove the rosemary sprig, pour half of the béchamel over the pasta, the grated Grana (leave a bit aside) and the provolone in pieces, mix everything well, and then pour the pumpkin pasta into a casserole dish.
Pour the remaining béchamel and more grated Grana over the pasta.
Bake the pasta with pumpkin and béchamel in a preheated oven at 392°F for about 20 minutes.
When the crust turns golden, remove it from the oven, let it rest for a few minutes, and then serve.
Tips and Variations
Pasta with pumpkin and béchamel can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
You can customize the recipe by replacing provolone with mozzarella, scamorza, or provola.
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