This recipe features flavors from Parma, Italy. Pumpkin is a traditional filling for ravioli and other other pasta dishes. Here it is cooked in cubes and spiced with red pepper flakes to make it arrabiata (angry).
Zucco Arrabiata
Ingredients
- 1 small fresh pumpkin
- 3 Tbs butter
- 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 6 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma
- 3 cups marinara sauce (or 1 jar marinara sauce)
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta, cooked al dente
- Reggiano Parmigiano cheese
Directions
- Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Cut the pumpkin into wedges. Cut the peel off the pumpkin wedges. Cut the pumpkin into 1 x 1 inch size pieces. Set aside 2 cups of pumpkin pieces.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the pumpkin to the frying pan and cook over medium-high heat until the pumpkin is golden on all sides. The pumpkin is done when it can be easily pierced with a knife.
- Lower the heat to low. Drizzle the olive oil over the pumpkin. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes and salt over the pumpkin and stir well.
- Pour the marinara sauce over the pumpkin and stir well. Raise the heat to medium-low and allow to heat through, do not allow it to boil.
- Cut the Prosciutto di Parma into ¼ inch strips. Add the Prosciutto di Parma to the pasta sauce and stir well.
- Place the pasta in a serving bowl.
- Add the pumpkin and marinara sauce to the pasta and stir well.
- Serve immediately with freshly grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese.
Note: Americans don't generally associate pumpkin with Italian cooking. There are many great Italian recipes. During a trip to Carpi I ordered pumpkin filled ravioli. My waiter wanted to be certain that we were in fact talking PUMPKIN. I assured him that I understood and enjoyed a squash that is tasty and healthy.