Jonica's Pumpkin Seaweed Pasta

Jonica's Pumpkin Seaweed Pasta

Jonicas seaweed pumpkin pasta for the planet 

"Pumpkins are in season and on a whim, I decided to experiment with a dish I haven’t made for 20 years, and OMG!!! Out-of-the-park delicious with green seaweed pasta!!  (Very pretty too J).  So here’s the recipe - it uses bacon, but for vegetarian, drop the bacon and add crumbled fetta at the end.  Serves 3 but honestly, use your judgement.  I kind of made it up from memory."

Ingredients:

  • Phettuccine enough for 3 people (1 box)
  • A small pumpkin, cut into 1-2cm squares
  • Half a small leek, thinnish sliced
  • About 6 short cut rashers bacon or equivalent prosciutto or half each, chopped into little squares. Or use feta cheese for vegetarians, or olives for plant-based.
  • Butter and olive oil
  • Handful of pine nuts
  • A spoonful of good honey
  • PhycoSalt
  • A sprinkle of chopped rosemary
  • Grated parmesan for serving

 Method:

 For the pumpkin bacon and pine-nut pasta topping

  • Fry the bacon / prosciutto in olive oil until a bit crispy, then add leek and fry it soft.  Put the bacon and leek mix aside in another bowl.
  • Add more oil to the now flavoured fry pan and fry the pumpkin cubes until caramelised on the outside and soft – but don’t overcook.  (If you have too many, you can cook them and put some aside for salads).  Fry with the chopped rosemary and a dash of phycosalt up front. 
  • Turn off the heat and add the bacon / leek mixture to the pumpkin.
  • Meanwhile toast the pinenuts and add them to the mix, stirring through.
  • The mix can sit for a while as the pasta cooks.

 For the Phettucine

  • The trick to this is once the pasta is cooked and drained, pop it back in the pot and mix with a generous amount of butter and a good ground of pepper.  The well buttered seaweed pasta should taste great on their own.

 To serve

  • Reheat the pumpkin mix if it’s cool, add some butter if you like a slight burnt butter hint then add a spoonful of honey at the last minute and stir it through.  Amount of honey and seasoning with phyco-salt to taste.  (personally I found the phycosalt really added flavour.)

Serve on top of the buttered pasta and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Ta Da!!!  Delicious autumn yumminess!