Picture this: a cozy autumn evening, a chill in the air, and the mouthwatering aroma of roasted pumpkin and melting cheese wafting through your kitchen. That’s what awaits you with my delightful rigatoni and pumpkin bake. Let’s embark on a culinary adventure that marries seasonal flavors with a cheesy twist!
Introducing my Pumpkin Feta Pastitsio: a delightful fusion of comforting pasta and autumn flavors. The combination of rigatoni with sweet, roasted pumpkin and creamy feta cheese is one that I adore.
It has all the comforting qualities we crave in a pasta dish, plus the health benefits of pumpkin, which is a powerhouse of nutrients. When I make this for dinner, I always double the recipe so I have leftovers for lunch.
Because it’s so rich and satisfying, one serving is plenty.
Pumpkin Feta Pastitsio Recipe Ingredients
- Pumpkin: Rich in fiber and beta-carotene, adds sweetness and creaminess.
- Feta Cheese: Salty and tangy, provides protein and a creamy texture.
- Olive Oil: Heart-healthy fat, enhances flavor and ensures smooth cooking.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic depth and boosts immunity with antimicrobial properties.
- Cinnamon: Warm spice, complements sweetness, with potential blood sugar benefits.
- Milk: Provides calcium and protein, forms the base for a creamy sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese: Nutty and salty, enriches flavor and adds a savory finish.
Pumpkin Feta Pastitsio Recipe Ingredient Quantities
- 400g rigatoni pasta
- 500g pumpkin, peeled and diced
- 200g feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 500ml milk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 30g unsalted butter
- 50g grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
How to Make this Pumpkin Feta Pastitsio Recipe
1. Set the oven temperature to 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit). Next, take a large pot and fill it with water. Add a generous amount of salt to the water and bring it to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the rigatoni to the pot and cook it until it’s slightly underdone. Your pasta should have a good bit of bite to it. When it’s done, drain the rigatoni and put it to the side.
2. In a baking dish, combine the diced pumpkin with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place it in the oven and set the timer for 20-25 minutes. Check to see if the pumpkin has finished cooking (it should be tender, but not mushy). If not, set the timer for an additional 5 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat it over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Sauté these ingredients together until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
4. Combine the roasted pumpkin, ground cinnamon, and dried oregano. Cook for another 2 minutes and then set aside.
5. In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to form a roux.
6. Slowly whisk the milk into the mix, making sure it is as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Keep cooking it, and give it a good stir every now and then (don’t stop too long; you want the sauce to thicken) until it almost gives you a gloppy, thickened sensation when you stir it.
7. Lift the sauce off the heat and mix in the grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
8. In a big bowl, mix the somewhat cooled rigatoni with the pump-kinsauce and feta. Add half the sauce and mix until the pasta is well sauced.
9. Pour the white sauce evenly over the top of the pasta mixture in the greased baking dish.
10. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the surface is a glorious gold and bubbling. Just before serving, sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Pumpkin Feta Pastitsio Recipe Equipment Needed
1. Oven
2. Large pot
3. Measuring cups/spoons
4. Baking dish
5. Timer
6. Skillet
7. Saucepan
8. Large bowl
9. Colander (for draining pasta)
10. Whisk
11. Wooden spoon or spatula
12. Knife (for chopping onion, garlic, and pumpkin)
13. Cutting board
14. Grater (for Parmesan cheese)
15. Ladle (for sauce stirring and portioning)
16. Tongs or pasta server
FAQ
- What can I use instead of rigatoni pasta?Penne, ziti, or any other tube-shaped pasta can be substituted for rigatoni to achieve a texture and experience similar to that of the original. These pastas also have a smooth surface, allowing for better sauce adhesion than any of the ribbon-shaped pastas. And they’re readily available.
- Can I make this recipe vegetarian?Yes, this formula is already friendly to vegetarians. Just verify that the parmesan cheese is made with vegetarian rennet.
- How can I make this dish more flavorful?Think about slipping in a very small amount of nutmeg or a tiny bit of chili for heat into the bechamel. Or think about doing something similar with fresh herbs or dry, toasted ones. Thyme, for instance, is a great pairing with bechamel.
- Can I prepare this dish in advance?Yes, the pastitsio can be prepared to the baking step, covered, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Just bake it when you are ready to serve, and it will be like it was just prepared hours earlier.
- Is it possible to freeze this dish?Of course. After baking and cooling, the pastitsio can be stored in airtight containers in the freezer for as long as three months. Be sure to reheat it very thoroughly before serving.
- What other cheese can I use instead of feta?A milder flavor could be achieved using goat cheese or ricotta as a substitute. However, these substitutions would change the taste and texture of the dish somewhat.
Pumpkin Feta Pastitsio Recipe Substitutions and Variations
Use penne or ziti pasta instead of rigatoni. Rigatoni, penne, and ziti are all tubular pastas, but rigatoni is the largest, with a diameter of nearly 1 inch. But in this recipe, any of the three can serve as a good vehicle for cheese. If you have leftovers, a 9×13-inch casserole dish is the right size. If you bake it in the same dish in which you boiled the pasta, you may need to cover the dish in the oven with aluminum foil for about half the baking time.
Replace the pumpkin with butternut squash, maintaining the identical preparation.
Substitute feta cheese for goat cheese for a flavor variation.
Replace regular milk with almond milk or oat milk.
Replace the cheese with Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano cheese.
Pro Tips
1. Roast the Pumpkin Intensely: For deeper flavor, consider roasting the pumpkin at a higher temperature (around 220°C/430°F) for a shorter time. This can help caramelize its edges, enhancing its natural sweetness and adding a subtle depth of flavor to the dish.
2. Use Fresh Herbs: Substitute the dried oregano with fresh oregano if available. Fresh herbs can provide a more robust and aromatic flavor. Just remember to double the amount since fresh herbs tend to be less concentrated than dried ones.
3. Infuse the Milk: Before making the white sauce, infuse the milk with a bay leaf and a pinch of nutmeg while it’s heating. Strain before using to add warmth and depth to the cheese sauce.
4. Add Crunch with Bread Crumbs: For an extra crunchy topping, mix some panko bread crumbs with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle them over the dish before the final bake. This will create a delightful textural contrast to the creamy pasta beneath.
5. Mix Cheeses for Flavor Complexity: Along with Parmesan, consider adding some grated Gruyère or sharp cheddar to the white sauce for added complexity and a slightly nutty, tangy undertone that complements the other ingredients nicely.
Pumpkin Feta Pastitsio Recipe
My favorite Pumpkin Feta Pastitsio Recipe
Equipment Needed:
1. Oven
2. Large pot
3. Measuring cups/spoons
4. Baking dish
5. Timer
6. Skillet
7. Saucepan
8. Large bowl
9. Colander (for draining pasta)
10. Whisk
11. Wooden spoon or spatula
12. Knife (for chopping onion, garlic, and pumpkin)
13. Cutting board
14. Grater (for Parmesan cheese)
15. Ladle (for sauce stirring and portioning)
16. Tongs or pasta server
Ingredients:
- 400g rigatoni pasta
- 500g pumpkin, peeled and diced
- 200g feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 500ml milk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 30g unsalted butter
- 50g grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions:
1. Set the oven temperature to 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit). Next, take a large pot and fill it with water. Add a generous amount of salt to the water and bring it to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the rigatoni to the pot and cook it until it’s slightly underdone. Your pasta should have a good bit of bite to it. When it’s done, drain the rigatoni and put it to the side.
2. In a baking dish, combine the diced pumpkin with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place it in the oven and set the timer for 20-25 minutes. Check to see if the pumpkin has finished cooking (it should be tender, but not mushy). If not, set the timer for an additional 5 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat it over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Sauté these ingredients together until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
4. Combine the roasted pumpkin, ground cinnamon, and dried oregano. Cook for another 2 minutes and then set aside.
5. In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to form a roux.
6. Slowly whisk the milk into the mix, making sure it is as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Keep cooking it, and give it a good stir every now and then (don’t stop too long; you want the sauce to thicken) until it almost gives you a gloppy, thickened sensation when you stir it.
7. Lift the sauce off the heat and mix in the grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
8. In a big bowl, mix the somewhat cooled rigatoni with the pump-kinsauce and feta. Add half the sauce and mix until the pasta is well sauced.
9. Pour the white sauce evenly over the top of the pasta mixture in the greased baking dish.
10. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the surface is a glorious gold and bubbling. Just before serving, sprinkle with fresh parsley.
