Whole Roasted Pumpkin Pasta

A whole pumpkin becomes the bowl and sauce for spinach and blue-cheese pasta.

Cooking time ≈ 1 h 20 min

Estimated nutrition · Per serving
≈ 490 kcal · Protein 17 g · Carbs 66 g · Fat 18 g

Ingredients

• For the pumpkin
• 1 small wide pumpkin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• thyme or any other herbs you like (optional)
• For the pasta
• 7 oz / 200 g pasta
• 3½ oz / 100 g Philadelphia or other plain cream cheese
• 2 oz / 55–60 g Gorgonzola, crumbled
• 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
• ½ cup pasta water (if needed)
• extra black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Cut a lid from the pumpkin and remove seeds and fibres. Oil and season its inside; add garlic and optional herbs.
2. Replace the lid and roast on a tray for 45–60 minutes, until the flesh scrapes easily but the shell still stands.
3. Cook pasta al dente in salted water and reserve at least ½ cup cooking water.
4. Stir cream cheese and Gorgonzola into the hot pumpkin while scraping in some flesh. Loosen with reserved water, leaving soft pumpkin pieces.
5. Fold in pasta and spinach, adjusting the sauce with more water. Finish with black pepper and serve in the pumpkin.