Here is a recipe to prepare at Christmas for the joy of the whole family. Pasta with pumpkin, sage and amaretti is an easy idea to make for Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas lunch, but the truth is that it is so good that it is ok for any occasion! And then the proposed recipe is also healthy, rich in antioxidants, because health also comes from the diet. So let’s see how to prepare this easy but successful recipe.
Here is a delicious reinterpretation of a typical Italian Christmas dish, pumpkin, mustard and amaretti tortelli seasoned with melted butter and sage. Since the original dish is a bit long to make and not everyone likes mustard, in addition to the fact that butter is not the healthiest solution, we thought to propose a mouth-watering alternative, simple to prepare and healthy. The wholemeal durum wheat pasta, which helps keep dangerous glycemic peaks under control, is seasoned with a pumpkin sauce, amaretti biscuits, sage, parmesan and extra virgin olive oil. In this recipe the aromas blend, the sweet and buttery taste of the pumpkin is enhanced by the stronger and more bitter note of the sage while the amaretti give crunchiness. And then, did you know that pan-cooked pumpkin increases its content of beta carotene and lycopene, two precious antioxidants (Azizah et al, International Food Research Journal, 2009)? These are the dishes that we like and that we love to share, when taste and health meet! Here is our Christmas gift to all of you!
Ingredients
320 grams of wholemeal durum wheat pasta in long format
400 grams of pumpkin
4-5 amaretti biscuits (if you don’t have you can use almond cookies)
1 leek
Sage
Nutmeg
Extra virgin olive oil
Himalayan pink salt
black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
Crush the amaretti biscuits to crumble them, set aside. Obtain the pulp of the pumpkin and cut it into small pieces. Clean the leek and cut it into thin slices. In a large pan, brown the leek in extra virgin olive oil. Add the pumpkin and a glass of water. Season with salt and pepper and add a few sage leaves. Cover with the lid and let it cook over a low heat until the pumpkin is soft, it will take 5-10 minutes, add more water if needed. In the meantime, boil the pasta and drain it al dente. Pour the pasta into the pan with the pumpkin sauce, add the parmesan, mix and leave to flavor for a minute. Place in the plates, add the crumbled amaretti biscuits and freshly ground pepper. Serve!