Bucatini, also known as perciatelli, is a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center. Buca, meaning hole, while Bucato or its Neapolitan variant Perciato means pierced. This style of pasta is commonly used throughout Rome.

My Autumn-Style Bucatini brings a new flavor and a delicious way to enjoy pasta.

The best thing about this dish is that in the time it takes to cook the pasta, the sauce will be ready.

Prep Time: zero
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Equipment: 1 (6-quart) stockpot, 1 (12-inch) sautè pan, large mixing bowl, chef’s knife, Microplane

Ingredients:
1 pound Bucatini
1 (15-ounce) can of 100% pumpkin purée
1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/2 to 1 cup of starchy cooking pasta liquid
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
4 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, (reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish)
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish

Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, add Mascarpone cheese, pumpkin purée, Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian flat-leaf parsley, and mix to combine.

In the meantime, bring a 6-quart stockpot of water up to a boil. Add a good amount of Kosher salt. This is the only chance you have to season the pasta.

Drop pasta into the salted boiling water. Cook for 10-12 minutes until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In a large sautè pan, over medium-low heat, add the pumpkin mixture. At this point, the pasta is almost done. Add a ladle (add small amounts of the pasta water at a time; the amount may vary slightly) of the starchy pasta cooking liquid to the pumpkin mixture to thin out the sauce. Stir the sauce until you get a smooth consistency. Heat the sauce for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Again, if you like the sauce to be a bit looser, add a little more pasta water and toss. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and toss.

To serve: Ladle a good serving of pasta into a serving bowl. Add extra freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and garnish with a sprinkle of Italian flat-leaf parsley.

There you have it, my Autumn-Style Bucatini.

Note:
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/