Announcement: I am hosting a Persian Autumn dinner in Rome, Trastevere on November 5th to kick start my supper club. Tickets are on sale and they’re selling fast. Get yours if you’re in town.
The Virtual Family Gathering
When Aimee contacted me a while ago to take part in the huge food blogger round up for a virtual pumpkin party, automatically my mind started searching for something Persian and sweet. But then I remembered I had already posted my favorite Persian pumpkin dessert last year. So after giving it some thought, I knew I was going for an Italian recipe for this orange marvel of Autumn. A savory one.
A hearty pasta bake, I thought. (believe it or not, this is my first pasta recipe on the blog!) A baked pasta dish is the heart of an Italian table at Sunday’s lunch. Just think lasagna, cannelloni or other pasta bakes. It’s often cooked by a granny, or a collaboration of aunts. It should be bubbling hot and cheesy, yet with crunchy and crispy at the edges of the pan, just instant before being burnt. That’s what your guest will fight to get, the angles of baked pasta, kinda of like our Persian tahdig (the crust at the bottom of a rice pot).
Try to picture this big family reunion on a Sunday; where you hear that distant hums of everyone chatting in the kitchen while preparing, when you’re chilling on a couch. It’s a crisp, cool day in October, a large number people sit at one enormous table, break bread, chat and share their stories over a meal.
This round up is a kinda like those Sunday family lunches; we’re in one hundred and eleven! ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN pumpkin recipes, from different places, and different people. You can find the complete list of all the fellow bloggers with a link to their post after my recipe.
Before I let you sit back and enjoy all these beautiful posts, I should thank Sara and Aimiee for “hosting” this party and all the organization. It’s a tough job, we know, and we’re very grateful of all this shared bounty. <3
Tips for The Pumpkin Pasta Bake with a Persian Touch
This pasta bake is extremely simple, and unlike the typical Italian pasta al forno, is not too heavy/oily/cheesy. I have used only parmesan and aged goat cheese. By all means do add besciamella when layering the pasta if you feel like it. I found the saffron pumpkin sauce sufficiently creamy and wet to embrace all the pasta.
The reason I used aged goat cheese is that the pumpkin sauce (since quite simple), is very sweet, so the full and strong flavor of aged goat cheese is crucial to create a balance between the sweetness and tartness of this dish.
I have used whole grain conchiglie (sea shell) pasta, and I suggest you use a short pasta that can absorb all the sauce. Fusilli e penne can also work well. Use whole grain pasta to get more nutritional goodness and fiber. (Also, refined carbs don’t like me much.)
For this recipe, I cut the pumpkin (I used kabocha squash) in small pieces for roasting the oven, because I wanted to increase the surface of caramelization on the pumpkin, gives a depth to the flavor. But you can just roast the pumpkin and scoop out the flesh for making the sauce, although in my opinion it will be too sweet this way. The skin is edible and delicious too! Don’t waste it. I also put two mandarines (cut in half) for roasting the pumpkin in the oven, merely for good (holidayish) smell.
- 750g [1.7 lbs] (kabocha) squash, peeled and chopped
- 400g [3/4 lbs] whole grain sea shell pasta
- 200g grated parmesan cheese
- 150 grated hard goat cheese (or percorino)
- 1 tsbp of coarse sea salt + more for seasing the pasta water
- 4-5 tbsp EVO oil + more for greasing the pant
- 50g [1.8 oz] pistachios, crushed
- 2g high quality saffron
- Juice of 1/2 large lemon (or one entire)
- 2 mandarins*
- 1 red onion, with skin and root, cut into 6 wedges
- 3 whole cloves garlic
- 2 small mandarines, cut in half (optional)
- Preheat the over at 180° C/350° F/ Gas mark four.
- In a large bowl, mix the chopped pumpkin, the garlic cloves and the onions with the lemon juice, 2 tbsp EVO oil and salt. Move the seasoned pumpkin to an oven tray covered with baking sheets, add the mandarine halves and put the tray in top-centre of the oven. After roasting for about 10 minutes, check the pumpkins, if you see it's browning super quickly while it's still raw inside, turn down the heat, put the tray on top level and let roast until the pumpkin is the soft when you put a fork in it and the edges have slightly browned. Should take about 20 to 40 minutes.
- In a large pan, bring water to boil for cooking the pasta. When the water comes to boils, in a small espresso cup make saffron infusion by adding the (finally crushed) saffron threads to about 2-2 tbsp of hot water. Cover the cup and let it rest.
- In a blender, mix roasted pumpkin with 2 tbsp of EVO oil (or more if you prefer), with about 1 cup of hot water. Add the water gradually. This mixture can be very thick in the beginning and by adding hot water. At the end, add the saffron infusion. Adjust the salt and add more water if needed.
- Preheat the over at 180° C/350° F/ Gas mark four. Season the pasta water with salt (35g for each liter of water). Cook the pasta using the instruction on the package and drain it very al dente (2 minutes less than indicated). Before draining save about a cup of pasta water.
- Mix the drained pasta with the pumpkin sauce and if needed, add some pasta water to loosen the mixture. Add 1/4 of the goat cheese and 1/4 of the parmesan and mix well.
- Brush a large baking pan with EVO olive, add half of the pasta to the pan. Sprinkle half of the remaining parmesan and goat cheese and half the pistachios.
- Add the remaining pasta, sprinkle the rest of the pistachios on top, cover with the rest of the cheese and add a little EVO oil on top.
- Bake in the oven until the top crust is golden and the pasta is browned in the edges (about 20 minutes).
- You can serve the pasta hot from the oven or even at room temperature.
111 Recipes for the Virtual Pumpkin Party!
- Cake Over Steak • Quick Pumpkin and Kale Risotto + Arancini
- Twigg Studios • Sausage Stuffing Baked in a Pumpkin
- Donuts, Dresses and Dirt • Pumpkin Spice Latte Popsicles
- Cloudy Kitchen • Pumpkin Cake with Vanilla German Buttercream
- Vegetarian Ventures • Smoky Pumpkin & Black Sesame Hummus
- Eat Boutique • Pumpkin Scallion Dumplings
- A Little Saffron • Pumpkin Stuffed Shells
- Two Red Bowls • Pumpkin & Maple Caramel Baked French Toast
- Wallflower Kitchen • Mini Pumpkin & Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
- Wit & Vinegar • Pumpkin Butterscotch Banana Split
- Style Sweet CA • Pumpkin Creme Brulee Cake
- Nommable • Pumpkin Biscuits with Mushroom Thyme Gravy
- With Food + Love • Cinnamon Raisin Pumpkin Seed Bread
- Hortus • Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Sevengrams • Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
- Jojotastic • 1 Pumpkin, 2 Ways: Pumpkin Trail Mix & Dog Treats
- Grain Changer • Pumpkin Spice Baked Oatmeal
- Girl Versus Dough • Pumpkin Cranberry Flax Crisps
- Earthy Feast • Pumpkin Grits + Pumpkin Home Fries + a Fried Egg
- Harvest and Honey • Truffled Pumpkin Papardelle Alfredo with Frizzled Sage
- Tasty Seasons • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
- Broma Bakery • Pumpkin Butter Pop Tarts
- Tending the Table • Roasted Pumpkin and Barley Salad
- The Sugar Hit • Super Soft Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Delicious Not Gorgeous • Waffles with Spiced Pumpkin Butter and Brown Sugar Walnut Crumble
- Taste Love and Nourish • Pumpkin Bread Pudding
- The Green Life • Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chunk & Hazelnut Skillet Cookie (Vegan)
- Foolproof Living • Pumpkin Creme Fraiche Pasta with Sage
- The Monday Box • Pumpkin Butterscotch Cakes
- Design Crush • Pumpkin Bourbon Hot Toddy
- The Road to Honey • Pumpkin Pie & Chocolate Layer Cake
- My Name is Yeh • Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt and Hazelnut Dukkah
- Give Recipe • Orange Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
- Heartbeet Kitchen • Magic Vegan Pumpkin Pie Fudge
- Beard and Bonnet • Marbled Pumpkin Muffins
- Eat Within Your Means • Vegan Pumpkin Blender Muffins
- Snixy Kitchen • Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding with Candied Pumpkin Seeds
- Ruby Josephine • Moroccan Sweet Pumpkin + Beef Tagine
- Lab Noon • Pasta Bake with Roasted Pumpkin and Saffron Sauce, Pistachio and Goat Cheese
- An Edible Mosaic • Pumpkin Spice Chia Seed Pudding
- Hey Modest Marce • Mascarpone Pumpkin Pie
- Inspired By the Seasons • Pumpkin Applesauce Smoothie
- CaliGirl Cooking • Pumpkin Praline Cinnamon Rolls with Spiked Cream Cheese Glaze
- Sally’s Baking Addiction • Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
- Well and Full • Spicy Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus
- Appeasing a Food Geek • Cheese Fondue Stuffed Roasted Pumpkin
- SweetPhi • Pumpkin Chili Biscuit Bake
- Warm Vanilla Sugar • Buttermilk Pumpkin Doughnuts
- Mademoiselle Poirot • Cinnamon-Pumpkin Mousse on Honey Panna Cotta topped with Hazelnut Brittle
- Heart of a Baker • Pumpkin Sticky Buns with Vanilla Bean Frosting
- Flourishing Foodie • Massaman Curry with Pumpkin and Chickpeas
- Ginger & Toasted Sesame • Pumpkin Jeon
- Lindsay Jang • Best Ever DIY Pumpkin Spiced Latte
- Fix Feast Flair • Hokkaido Pumpkin + Sage Mac and Gouda
- Will Frolic for Food • Pumpkin Kale Patties with Coconut Cilantro Rice
- A Couple Cooks • Pumpkin Pecan Baked Steel Cut Oats
- Vermilion Red • Pumpkin Pie Souffle
- Britnell • Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Displaced Housewife • Brown Butter Pumpkin Donuts
- Sweet Gula • Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- La Pêche Fraîche • Pumpkin and Condensed Milk Cakes
- Kitchen Konfidence • Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi with Rosemary Brown Butter Sauce
- Loves Food, Loves to Eat • Savory Pumpkin Bread Pudding
- Kale & Caramel • Goat Cheese & Sage-Stuffed Pumpkin Challah
- Okie Dokie Artichokie • Pumpkin Chorizo Chili with Sweet Potatoes + Pinto Beans
- Salted Plains • Easy Pumpkin Bread
- Liliahna • Chicken Legs with Pumpkin and Tortellini
- TermiNatetor Kitchen • Whole Wheat, Pumpkin & Brown Sugar Brioche
- Vermilion Roots • Sweet Rice Dumplings with Pumpkin
- Celebrate Creativity • Pumpkin Mini Cheesecake Tarts
- Serendipity Bakes • Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake
- So Much Yum • Vegan Maple-Glazed Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts
- The Brick Kitchen • Pumpkin, Pecan & White Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Lisli • Pumpkin Pie Cake
- Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt • Pumpkin Pie Dip
- Fig+Bleu • Pumpkin Granola
- The Speckled Palate • Pumpkin Caramel Cream Cheese Swirl Blondies
- Cook Til Delicious • Fall Cliche Cake (Pumpkin Spice Cake / Maple Cream Cheese Frosting / Apple Cider Caramel Sauce)
- Floating Kitchen • Chicken and Pumpkin Chili
- The Wood and Spoon • Pumpkin Pecan Cake with Burnt Sugar Frosting
- Fork Vs Spoon • Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
- Lemon & Vanilla • Pumpkin and Coconut Caramel Flan
- Dunk & Crumble • Pumpkin Chocolate Icebox Cake
- Chicano Eats • Pumpkin Butter Pan de Muerto
- On the Plate • Pumpkin Pancakes, Salted Caramel & Pecans
- Rough Measures • Cosy Pumpkin Spice Latte (Caffeine and Dairy Free)
- Brewing Happiness • Pumpkin Ginger Breakfast Cookies
- A Butterful Mind • Pumpkin Cheesecake with Vanilla Whipped Cream
- The Little Loaf • Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Fork to Belly • Pumpkin Gnocchi
- The Little Epicurean • Chocolate Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie
- Bourbon and Honey • Spicy Roasted Pumpkin with Honey and Feta
- What to Cook Today • Spicy Pumpkin Noodle Soup
- Food by Mars • Pumpkin Pie (Grain-Free, Diary-Free)
- The Bojon Gourmet • Pumpkin Butterscotch Pudding
- Oh Honey Bakes • Pumpkin Cake with Gingersnap Toffee
- Long Distance Baking • Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake
- The Jam Lab • Pumpkin Madeleines Dipped in White Chocolate
- The Lemon Apron • Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf with an Olive Oil Glaze
- Sun Diego Eats • Thai Pumpkin & Sticky Rice Cakes
- A Cozy Kitchen • Pumpkin Chai Scones with Black Tea Glaze
- A Cookie Named Desire • Pumpkin Shrubs
- Eating Clean Recipes • Vegan Pumpkin Chia Pudding
- Kingfield Kitchen • Vegan Fresh Pumpkin Soup
- Drink and Cocktail Recipes • Pumpkin Dirty Chai
- The Pig & Quill • Pumpkin Sage Cannelloni (Dairy-Free)
- My Lavender Blues • Pumpkin, Banana & Olive Oil Bundt Cake
- Betty Liu • Pumpkin + Pear Butter Baked Melty Cheese
- Happy Hearted Kitchen • Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin with Tahini Yogurt + Hazelnut Dukkah
- InHappenstance • Pumpkin Scones with Maple Butter
- Live Eat Learn • Pumpkin Gingerbread Hot Cocoa
- Jewhungry • Mini Pumpkin + Kale Mac n’ Cheese Pot Pies
Saghar Setareh
Coming from Iran, she mostly develops her recipes by combining the aromas of the middle east with the flavors of the Mediterranean, specially Italy, where she has found her second home.
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Wow these photos are stunning reminds me of the Dutch masters, this recipe looks incredible xxx
Wow Thanks Aimee! It’s a true compliment to hear it from you <3
The recipe is super simple and very delicious!
111 feels like a great number for a roundup :D
Conchiglie are my favorite shape- their like the perfect spoon for sauces + morsels! Loving that you popped some smell-good-holiday-yum in there, too <3
Hi there Francesca! So glad you like this. I love all large pasta that take in all the sauce <3
Yummmmm! Love the flavor combos you’ve got here. Going to the top of my pumpkin to-make list! And boy is it long ;) Happy #virtualpumpkinparty!
Pasta bakes were always my FAVORITE at family parties. And you’re right, it’s usually made by a whole gaggle of aunts ;) But the pasta bakes of my childhood don’t stand a chance to this recipe, though! Talk about next level cooking! I love the combination of saffron and pumpkin, it sounds delicious :)
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First off. . .the hubby and I just got back from Rome. We really adore this city. . .the architecture, the food, the people. But now I’m sad that we will miss your Persian Autumn Dinner. The hubby is Persian and never turns down the opportunity to feast on fine Persian cuisine. And you so tease me with the mere mention of tahdig!! Fortunately the hubby always lets me have the bigger portion. ;-)
As for this pasta. . .well it is bringing back so many memories of Italy. It’s simply stunning. . .and those flavors. . . irresistible!
what i have absolutely loved is how this party has introduced me to so many new bloggers and such a broad variety! for e.g. I normally follow only vegan food bloggers but have really enjoyed reading the words and seeing the photos of non-vegan bloggers even if I won’t make the recipe! This is so beautiful – I echo Aimee’s words that it looks Old Masters-esque. And who knows…. maybe i will try it without the cheese :)
Hi Hannah! Thanks so much for the sweet words! I do agree that nicest thing about these virtual parties is discovering more talented people. I do follow a lot of blogs too whose recipes I’d most probably never make, but it’s always inspiring to see what other people are doing.
But we’ve been so many and I haven’t had the time to check everybody’s post. A pity, but I plan to do that soon :)
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I absolutely love this dish! It’s so healthy!Can’t wait to try!thanks for the recipe
Great! I’m happy you like it!