Gemelli Pasta with Roasted Pumpkin and Pancetta

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

Description

Roasted pumpkin, savory pancetta, and Parmesan cheese give this easy pasta dish way more flavor than you'd expect on a weeknight.

Ingredients

2 cups peeled, cubed pumpkin
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 (16 ounce) package gemelli pasta
1 (4 ounce) package diced pancetta
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 Pile diced pumpkin on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss lightly to coat. Spread pumpkin out and sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper.
3 Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4 Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Add gemelli pasta and boil until just nearly tender, about 9 minutes.
5 Heat remaining olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the roasted pumpkin and cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes more. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
6 Drain pasta and add to the pan with the pumpkin mixture. Continue cooking until pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve immediately, topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.