Penne pasta with pumpkin sauce with Chef Matteo Carboni

October is past the mid month point and you haven’t yet had your dose of pumpkin trivia! Let’s fix that!

Pumpkins are considered a superfood, meaning they have high levels of antioxidant flavonoids and micronutrients, most notably vitamins A, C, potassium, and fiber. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which contribute to healthy brain function according to recent research from UCLA. Enjoy that fact while munching on your pepitas!

The amber pumpkin flowers are also an edible food, and considered a delicacy in many cultures. I found a few interesting pumpkin flower recipes! The first one is a Bengali dish, Kumro Phool Bhaja which translates to “Pumpkin Flower Fry”, you can see a recipe here. Sopa Mexicana De Flor De Calabaza is a traditional Mexican dish that translates to “pumpkin flower soup” and a recipe from Miguel Angel Castillo can be found here.

Pumpkin seed oil is a viscous, nutty, dark green nutrient packed oil made from roasted pumpkin seeds. It is traditionally used in the Styrian region of Austria as a salad dressing ingredient combined with apple cider vinegar.

Our pumpkin tribute today is concluded with a video by Chef Matteo Carboni from the Academia Barilla Culinary School in Italy, and he prepares penne with a pumpkin and bacon sauce, garnished with balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese.

Ingredients you need for this dish are: fresh pumpkin, pumpkin puree, bacon, penne pasta, garlic, italian parsley, rosemary, salt and pepper, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan reggiano, and balsamic vinegar of Modena.