SPOOKY GHOST CHILLI ROASTED PUMPKIN AND PANCETTA PASTA

You can always count on TK MAXX for top-tier Halloween decorations and unique ingredients, and they didn’t disappoint with this adorable black and orange farfalle! I’ll be honest, this recipe was a spur-of-the-moment creation, but it turned out to be surprisingly delicious!

I had never cooked with ghost chillies before, so I was a bit nervous, but they added such a fantastic depth of flavor. Once the cream, stock, and Parmesan are mixed in, the heat mellows out beautifully, giving the sauce a perfect, balanced kick. And the sage? It turned the pumpkin puree a wonderfully eerie green, making the whole dish look like a witch’s cauldron bubbling away. 🧙‍♀️

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SPOOKY GHOST CHILLI ROASTED PUMPKIN AND PANCETTA PASTA

SERVES 4// MADE IN 1 - 1.5 HR//MEDIUM// MEATY

Ingredients

• 1 medium cooking pumpkin

• 2 garlic bulbs

• 25g fresh sage leaves

• 100g pancetta, sliced

• 1/2 ghost chilli

• 50g grated Parmesan

• 200ml chicken stock

• 150ml single cream

• 250g Halloween-themed pasta

• Olive oil, for cooking

• Salt and pepper, to season

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C . Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Trim the tops off the garlic bulbs, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and wrap them in foil. Drizzle the pumpkin halves with olive oil, season with salt, and place both the pumpkin and garlic on a baking tray. Roast for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.

2. While the pumpkin roasts, rehydrate the ghost chilli by soaking it in warm water. Once softened, set it aside.

3. When the pumpkin is done, scoop the flesh into a high-powered blender. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add them to the blender along with half the sage leaves, the ghost chilli, and a splash of water. Season with salt, then blitz until smooth.

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the Halloween-themed pasta until al dente. Before draining, reserve a cup of the starchy pasta water.

5. In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the pancetta in a little olive oil until crispy. Add half of the pumpkin purée, chicken stock, and cream to the pancetta, stirring to combine. Add the Parmesan, cooked pasta, and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Mix well until the pasta is fully coated in the creamy pumpkin sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

6. For the crispy sage leaves, lightly coat them in olive oil, season with salt, and place them in the oven (or air fryer) at 180°C for about 5 minutes, or until crispy.

7. Serve the pasta into individual bowls, topping each with extra Parmesan and crispy sage. 

8. Just a quick side note - create banging hot sauce with the remaining pumpkin puree or pop it the freezer.