Ingredients
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150 g guanciale (or pancetta if you can’t find guanciale)
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1 medium onion, finely chopped
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1 pumpkin
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Papa Vince Rigatoni (or any Papa Vince pasta you love)
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Papa Vince Extra Virgin Olive Oil (a drizzle for cooking)
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Papa Vince Sea Salt, to taste
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Black pepper, oregano, or spices of your choice
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(Optional) Pecorino cheese, grated, for serving
Directions
Render the guanciale
In a large pot, drizzle a little Papa Vince EVOO and add the guanciale. Cook gently over medium heat until it releases its fat and becomes fragrant. This will create a flavorful base for the sauce.
Cook the onion
Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook until soft and golden, absorbing all the flavor from the guanciale.
Prepare the pumpkin
While the onion is cooking, cut the pumpkin. Remove the seeds, peel, cut it into small cubes, and then wash it.
Simmer the pumpkin
Add the cubed pumpkin to the pot. Pour in 2 glasses of water so the pumpkin cooks slowly and softens. Season with Papa Vince Sea Salt, black pepper, oregano, or any spices you like.
Blend for a creamy sauce
Once the pumpkin is cooked, remove about one-third of it and place it in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth to make a velvety pumpkin sauce. Set aside.
Cook the pasta
Add more water directly into the pot with the remaining pumpkin and bring to a boil. Once boiling, season generously with Papa Vince Sea Salt and add the rigatoni. Cook until al dente.
Bring it all together
Scoop out a bit of the cooking broth and stir it into the blended pumpkin sauce. This helps the sauce loosen and become silky. Pour the sauce back into the pot with the pasta and pumpkin, stirring until everything is well combined.
Serve Sicilian style
Plate the pumpkin rigatoni hot, drizzle with a touch of Papa Vince EVOO, and if you like, sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese.
Why This Recipe Works
This dish is living proof that you don’t need 20 ingredients to make something unforgettable. With pumpkin, guanciale, onion, pasta, and the touch of Papa Vince EVOO + Sea Salt, you get sweet, savory, creamy, and hearty flavors all in one bowl — straight from Nonna’s kitchen.
