Pumpkin, spinach, pine nut and Parmesan
pasta
serves 2
Penne pasta tossed with cubed
pumpkin, sautéed spinach and toasted pine nuts, then sprinkled with
freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
6 oz (170g) penne pasta
12 oz (340g) pumpkin or winter squash — peeled, deseeded and cut
into small cubes
3 tablespoons pine nuts
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion — finely chopped
3 cloves garlic — finely chopped
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
2 cups firmly-packed fresh spinach — roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
BRING a large pot of water to a boil.
TOAST the pine nuts in a large pan over medium heat until lightly
browned, then remove from the pan and set aside. HEAT 3 tablespoons
of olive oil in the same pan over medium heat and cook the onion for
6 minutes. ADD the garlic and rosemary to the onions and cook for 1
minute. ADD the spinach and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
WHILE onions and spinach are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling
water and cook according to package directions, adding the pumpkin
to the pot for the final 8 minutes of cooking. STIR the toasted pine
nuts, salt, pepper, and reserved olive oil into the onion and
spinach mix. DRAIN the pasta and pumpkin, reserving ¼ cup of the
pasta cooking water. TOSS the pasta and pumpkin with the spinach,
onion and pine nut mix and reserved pasta water and serve topped
with Parmesan cheese.
Variations: Replace the Parmesan cheese with crumbled feta,
and use walnuts instead of pine nuts.
© MediterrAsian.com