Quick, tasty, and perfect for autumn and winter, the puff pastry with pumpkin and bacon is one of the simplest and most delicious savory pies to bring to the table. Ideal as an autumn appetizer or as a unique main course, it immediately captivates with its crunchiness and irresistible aroma. A golden puff pastry shell encloses a soft and enveloping filling: the sweetness of hokkaido pumpkin, quickly sautéed in a pan, meets the savoriness of smoked bacon and melting scamorza, creating a balance of flavors that will make you fall in love at first taste.
If you love pumpkin recipes, you cannot miss the savory pumpkin and sausage strudel, with its rustic and rich taste, or the soft pumpkin and speck savory plumcake, perfect for an autumn aperitif. You will discover how many appetizing variations this versatile and seasonal ingredient can offer.
Bring it to the table while still warm and let its aroma captivate everyone: the puff pastry with pumpkin and bacon will soon become one of your favorite recipes to warm up autumn lunches and dinners.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 390.17 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 23.30 (g) of which sugars 2.42 (g)
- Proteins 12.61 (g)
- Fat 27.77 (g) of which saturated 4.66 (g)of which unsaturated 16.00 (g)
- Fibers 1.02 (g)
- Sodium 446.25 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 123 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for a 9.5-inch savory pie with pumpkin and bacon
If you are celiac, besides using gluten-free puff pastry, make sure the smoked bacon is labeled “gluten-free”.
- 1 roll puff pastry (round)
- 13.4 oz pumpkin (weighed without skin and seeds)
- 3.5 oz smoked bacon
- 2.8 oz scamorza cheese
- 1/2 onion
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 sprig rosemary
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Frying Pan non-stick with cover
- 1 Pie Pan 9.5 inches in diameter
How to Prepare Puff Pastry with Pumpkin and Bacon
To prepare the puff pastry with pumpkin and bacon, use a sharp knife to remove the pumpkin’s skin. Then cut it into cubes about 0.4 inches (1 cm) per side (1). I used Hokkaido pumpkin, which has firm, sweet, and not very watery flesh, but you can use another variety if you prefer. Slice the onion thinly (2). Cut the bacon into strips. Pour the oil into a non-stick pan (3).
Heat it very well, then add the bacon (4) and let it brown for about a minute. When it starts to brown and release fat, add the onion (5) and let it sauté gently (6).
At this point, add the pumpkin cubes (7), lightly salt them, and let them cook over high heat for about a minute. Then lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid (8). Let it cook gently for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the pumpkin will have started to soften and release some water. At this point, remove the lid and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring often to let the water evaporate. Turn off the heat, add the chopped rosemary, and let it cool (9).
Meanwhile, cut the scamorza cheese into cubes (10). Unroll the puff pastry and, keeping the parchment paper underneath it, use it to line a 9.5-inch pie pan. Prick the bottom with the prongs of a fork (11). Distribute the pumpkin and bacon filling inside, spreading it evenly (12).
Also add the scamorza cheese cubes and fold the edges of the puff pastry inward, pressing slightly to seal it (13). Bake the puff pastry with pumpkin and bacon in a preheated oven at 392°F (static) for 30-35 minutes. When the puff pastry is puffed and golden, remove the savory pie from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes (14).
Serve the puff pastry with pumpkin and bacon hot or at room temperature, as an appetizer or a main dish.
Storage
The savory pumpkin and bacon pie can be stored in the refrigerator, well sealed in an airtight container, for up to 2 days: before serving, simply heat it for a few minutes in the oven or microwave to rediscover all its crunchiness. Freezing is not recommended, as the pumpkin tends to release water.
Tips and Variations
You can replace the bacon with speck or crumbled sausage, or add smoked provola instead of scamorza for an even more intense flavor. For a vegetarian version, try replacing the bacon with porcini mushrooms or sautéed champignon mushrooms.
