Today we’re going to explore a gorgeous recipe, which makes the most out of several staples of Roman cuisine: "straccetti" pasta with pumpkin, mint, and Pecorino Romano cheese. It was sent to us by one of our Cesarine in Rome.
This is a showstopper of a dish, with the delicate mint adding a hint of freshness to the intense Pecorino cheese.
There are several variations of this recipe, often using entirely different ingredients or pasta types. We’ve chosen ’straccetti’, which are slim, hand-torn strips of pasta, the ideal shape for holding onto all those delicious flavours. However, you could go for thick ribbons of ‘pappardelle’ for a similar effect.
Straccetti with pumpkin
Una semplice e fresca ricetta di pasta, con zucca, zucchine, menta e Pecorino Romano
DifficultyEasy
Preparation time30m
Cooking time13m
Servings5
€
CostLow
Ingredients
- 500 gr pasta (straccetti or pappardelle)
- 300 gr pumpkin
- 6 zucchini
- 2 cloves garlic
- A generous handful of mint leaves
- A generous handful of grated pecorino romano cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Dried chili flakes
Method
- Lightly fry two cloves of garlic and a sprinkle of dried chili flakes in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil to add a base of flavour. Discard the garlic cloves when they become golden in colour, and be careful not to let them burn, or your oil will be bitter.
- Add the zucchini to the pan and cook until golden, then add the pumpkin (a handful per person). Add a little splash of water to help them cook.
- While the zucchini and pumpkin is cooking, put a large pot of water on to boil for your pasta.
- Cook the pasta ‘stracci’. Drain the pasta when they are cooked to ‘al dente’ (soft but with a little bite), making sure to leave a little water in the pan when you do so. Add the pasta to the pumpkin and zucchini.
- Add some of the pasta water to the vegetables and pasta with a ladle to make a sauce. The starch inside helps to bind the ingredients.
- Sprinkle generously with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and chili flakes.
- Finally, garnish with a good handful of fresh mint leaves - make sure to rub them gently between your thumb and forefinger first, to release the flavours.
Rome at the table
If you enjoy the flavors of Roman cuisine, take a look at the food and wine experiences offered by Cesarine in the Capital: from the best cooking classes to tours of the most typical local markets in the City, you are sure to find the perfect experience for you!