The other night I was at a dinner party. It was a fancy dinner party, with lots of fancy people. Ambassadors, wine producers, mayors, senators, journalists, architects, congress women, governors, captains of industry. I’m not quite sure how I made it into this bunch of obviously incredibly accomplished folks, but I did. And was very happy to be a part of the lively discussions which ranged from politics, to finances to agricultural and food safety issues.
Since it was a big bunch – about 20 to a sit down dinner – at one point the hostess decided to quiet the group down and and ask one question of all of us, going around the table, so that we could actually hear from everyone even if we weren’t sitting right next to each other. A very nice idea I thought.
Except, of course, I totally failed on my answer.
The question: Obsession. Quick, don’t think. What are you currently obsessed about. And then she turned to me, since I was first in line. Want to know what sprang unbidden into my little foodie, pea brain?
Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.
Yes. I actually said that. Out loud. While others went around the table sprouting loftier obsessions like their spouses love or world peace, evidently all I care about is getting my hands on some of my favorite Halloween candy.
And the thing is? That’s not even what I am obsessed about at the moment. If I had thought at least two seconds more about the question, I would have come up with a much more honest and – only slightly more lofty – answer.
My current obsession is the pairing of pumpkin and pancetta.
Pumpkin season is in full swing and I’ve been buying and cooking them as often as possible. Simply roasted, in soups, in risotto, atop polenta. But my greatest discovery is that when you pair pumpkin with pancetta the entire thing approaches nirvana.
The thing with pumpkins is that while they are a vegetable, and definitely savory, there is always that slightly sweet thing going on. I’ve often counteracted it with heaping quantities of either cheese and/or hot red pepper. But ever since Domenico came home with another slab of home cured pancetta from his contractor, I’ve decided that the best use for it is to fry it up till crisp and eat it every which way with pumpkin
I know you’re probably thinking that this is a no-brainer. Of course everything goes better with bacon. But the whole pancetta/pumpkin thing really is brilliant. Which explains my obsession.
And, just possibly, makes for much more compelling dinner time conversation than Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. 
pasta with pumpkin and pancetta
500 gr / 1/2 pound fusilli (or pasta of your choice)
A big chunk of sweet pumpkin: about 8 cups cubed, into 1 inch pieces
5 thick slices of pancetta, trimmed and cubed.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
8 sage leaves
1 to 2 cups vegetable broth
grated parmigiano
In a saute pan large enough to hold all of the pumpkin and cooked pasta, pour the olive oil and heat over a medium flame. Add the chopped pancetta and cook until the pancetta loses it’s fat, is no longer translucent and has become crisp. Gently scoop up the pancetta with a slotted spoon, transferring it to a small glass bowl, leaving the cooking fats in the pan.
Add the onions, salt and sage to this fat. Cook over medium heat until the onion is wilted, about 7 minutes. Add the chopped pumpkin and stir to coat with the oil. Add the broth, stir and continue cooking. Cook until the pumpkin is quite soft, but not completely falling apart. You may want to add some more broth if it starts to dry out. At the end, you want a bit of liquid – about a 1/4 cup – in the pan. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. If you find your pumpkin has gotten too dried out, you can add some of the pasta cooking water to it.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until almost done. When it is about 1 minute away from being done, drain, reserving a cup of the pasta cooking water. And the drained pasta to the pan with the pumpkin. Bring to high heat and let the pasta absorb the rest of the pumpkin juices. Add a bit of the pasta cooking water if it seems too dry.
To serve, place portions in individual bowls, and top each with fried pancetta and some grated parmigiano. 
I just bought a big piece of Jamaican pumpkin! I’ll try your recipe with it tonight. And if I got stuck beside Mr. World Peace, I’d probably look across the table and think “I wish I was sitting beside Ms. Peanut Butter Cups! Probably the only honest person in the room.”
Morsels of zucca wrapped in slices of pancetta and baked in the oven until melted/crisp. HEAVEN.
That sounds almost too easy and definitely too good!
I would never have thought of combining pumpkin with pasta, but you are opening up doors for us.
Weird. I just bought a small pumpkin yesterday with the idea of making a soup, by roasting first. I also bought some pancetta. How many servings does this make do you think? Also, have you ever made pumpkin soup? I haven’t, but have heard it can be really, really bland.
I love Reese’s and you can buy them in London, but not the small ones. Quite easy to find in candy sections in shops. You usually see the packs with 3 cups in them, also the Reese’s Pieces.
Yes, I have lots of pumpkin soup recipe. If you get a good pumpkin then it won’t be bland. Just make sure you get one that’s made for cooking.
Here are a couple of recipes:
http://www.elizabethminchilli.com/2013/10/butternut-coconut-soup.html
http://www.elizabethminchilli.com/2010/10/winter-squash-soup.html
This recipe serves about 4 to 6, depending on whether you’re serving it as a first course or main.
Oh dear! I’m off to London next week and fear I may give in to temptation!
Thanks for these recipes!
I loved Carol’s response and totally agree but am afraid to make this because it sounds so utterly perfect that I could easily be addicted and yet am so clumsy with peeling the pumpkin!
Well, Elizabeth, your answer of Peanut Butter Cups would have been well received in our home, no doubt about it. We love those treats. You’re welcome for dinner and conversation any time!
I must say though you true current obsession would also make you welcome, but perhaps Bart and I would prefer to be your guests, then we could sample your pasta.
And about wonderful dinner conversation ideas, some friends have a fine scheme. Alice Coulombe, truly the Hostess with the Mostes’, and wife of Joe Coulombe, founder of Trader Joe’s has the best dinner party idea ever. At various points during dinner she rings a small hand bell, at which point the gentlemen at the table rise and take the seat of the gentleman sitting nearest their right. This way, guests have an opportunity to mingle, even at a fancy sit-down dinner.
I’ve been to those musical chair kind of parties too. I love them! So much fun changing dinner partners at every course.
Good, solid answer.
I grabbed a handful of them from the Trick or Treat bowl beside the front door on my way out to the airport for my flight LAX- Paris. It was on the new, huge double storied jets that I had never been on. I admit it, I took a sleeping pill and evidently had an in-my-sleep-binge because when I went to the WC onboard my face was smeared with Reeses peanut butter. I noticed that some of my neighbors were avoiding eye contact. In fact there were quite a few candy wrappers scattered around my seat. Oooops! I guess I do know about RPBC Obsession.
Be glad you are missing out on all the pumpkin pie scented candles in the stores right now.
I agree with Carol! Maybe there would be more world peace if we focused on food ( even peanut butter cups) and family!!
Yum!
I just looked at the REESES PEANUT BUTTER CUPS in line at the grocery store and talked myself out of them!They were BUY TWO get TWO FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Should I mail to you??!!
Yes! Actually, according to Catherine I’ll be able to pick up a stash of them in London. So I’m set for now.
With more time to think, you’d not have done yourself justice. After all, you are a foodie par excellence, so whether pumpkin and pancetta or that Halloween candy (of childhood memories), you were thinking honestly and seasonally. Perhaps if we all did less angst-ing about our food and just got on with the simpler fare offered up each month by the seasons (rather than fads of supermarkets), we’d all be healthier and saner. Actually, I think you were lucky to go first to answer – imagine the stress of being last in line!
Yes, I’ve decided that from now on my answer to every question will always be ‘Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.” Let’s see how far that gets me.
Elizabeth, I am sure you can find Reese’s peanut butter cups at the various Castroni shops in Rome, last year the one near my house had Bracht’s candy corn, I wanted, but I resisted…
Have a look out for the peanut butter Kit Kats as well. They keep bringing them out and then discontinuing them, but as of a couple of weeks ago they were still around. I have been known to buy lots of mini Kit Kats and then put peanut butter on them. Works out a lot cheaper that way!
I just made this pasta for lunch and it was super delicious. Very sweet and porky, so it needed a nice arugula, radicchio and tomato salad to add a bit of punch on the side. Thanks for the great recipe.
That combo sounds pretty perfect!
So happy you are publishing a book! I used your app a few years ago to choose restaurants in Rome. Right off the plane, we went to one you recommended, Trattoria Monti I believe and loved it!
I can relate about Reese’s PB cups, I have an almost empty bag of Reeses PB pumpkins in my cupboard right now!
I am going to make your pumpkin squash recipe and add spiced pumpkin seeds from Trader Joes on top!
Is Italian pumpkin the same as US? i notice you call it “sweet pumpkin”. And the picture looks much darker red and thicker than what i find with a pie pumpkin or large Jackolantern pumpkins.
No, the pumpkins are a bit different here than the large jackolantern pumpkins. But if you just look for a good squash – even butternut – you’ll be fine!