TRADITIONAL AUTUMN SICILIAN TROFIE WITH PUMPKIN & RICOTTA

1. In a small pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil and then lower the flame to keep it to a simmer.
2. Separately, heat the olive oil in a wide pan and add the grated onion. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the cubed pumpkin and cover with a lid. Cook on a medium flame for about 10 minutes, adding a couple of ladles of broth in between, to obtain a creamy, though not mushy, consistency.
4. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil, add salt and throw in the trofie. Cook according to packaging. Fresh pasta should take only a couple of minutes, while dry pasta will take longer.
5. While the pasta and pumpkin are cooking, in a bowl mix the ricotta, pecorino and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add 2 tbsp of the vegetable broth and mix well.
6. Set aside.
7. When the pasta is cooked through, drain and transfer to the pan with the pumpkin, stir in the ricotta and mix everything well.
8. Garnish with marjoram, more black pepper, and serve immediately.

TIPS

– You can replace trofie with any pasta shape, fresh or dry. Alternatively, you can also use rice, though in this case, cook the rice along with the pumpkin, like you would risotto.

-Sicilian pecorino can be replaced with any kind of pecorino, or with other types of hard cheese like parmigiano or grana padano.

-Butternut squash can be used instead of pumpkin.

-You can replace fresh marjoram with fresh oregano, thyme, or sage – though the latter should be first fried in olive oil until crispy.