Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Crispy Pork Topping
Description
Creamy pumpkin pasta flavored with chili crisp and topped with a crispy, cheesy pork topping.
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Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced (1½ cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chili crisp, divided
- scant ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 12 ounces ground pork
- 1½ ounces Manchego cheese
- 1 pound large tubular pasta, such as Mezze Maniche Frankies 457
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
- ⅓ cup (85 g) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- basil optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large 12-inch stainless steel skillet over medium heat until melted. Add 1 diced onion and 4 cloves minced garlic, season with ½ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, 6–8 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon chili crisp and scant ½ teaspoon white pepper, then remove from heat.
- Transfer half of mixture to a blender and reserve other half in skillet. To skillet, add 12 ounces ground pork and ¾ teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4–5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon chili crisp, then grate 1½ ounces Manchego over top using a microplane (½ cup). Cook, without moving, until cheese melts, pork gets really brown and crisp on bottom, 6–8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and let pork frico cool.
- Season boiling water heavily with kosher salt; add 1 pound pasta and cook to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and add pasta back to pot.
- While pasta cooks, add 1 can pumpkin, ⅓ cup cream, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup pasta cooking water to onions in blender and blend until smooth. Give it a taste and add more chili crisp if desired.
- Pour blended sauce over pasta and toss to coat; add pasta cooking water, by ¼ cup, until sauce is loose and glossy (I use ¾ cup total*). Season to taste with salt (I usually add about ½ teaspoon).
- Divide pasta between bowls. Using a firm metal spatula, scrap up large shards of crispy pork frico and serve over top pasta. Garnish with basil, if desired, and serve.
Equipment
Notes
How much pasta water you need will largely depend on what kind of pot you’re using. I like to use a Dutch oven, which retains heat and thus cooks out more moisture than a stainless steel pot will. If you’re using a stainless steel pot you may need less pasta water.
Spice levels differ between brands of chili crisp. Of the chili crisps I tested, I like Fly by Jing Chili Crisp the best. It’s spicy and easy to find. If you’re using a different brand, it’s possible it could be more mild (Trader Joe’s is very mild). So taste as you go and add an additional tablespoon to the sauce as needed, or serve chili crisp on the side so everyone can add heat to their preference.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 recipeCalories: 924kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 33gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 261mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5g
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