Orecchiette pasta with pancetta, pumpkin and broccoli raab

Ingredients:

• 2 cups peeled and diced pumpkin (about 230 g)
• Olive oil
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 bunch broccoli rabe, tough stem ends trimmed, cut into thirds
• 3/4 cup dried pancetta, cut into 1cm cubes.
• A pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 cups orecchietti pasta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/4 cup toasted peeled pumpkin seeds

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss the pumpkin with olive oil and salt and spread it in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of salted water and ice. Plunge the broccoli into the boiling water, stir, and immediately transfer to the ice water. Reserve the boiling water for the pasta. Transfer the broccoli from the ice water to a colander and drain the excess water.
3. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and add the bacon and red pepper flakes. Sauté the pancetta over medium heat until golden brown and crispy. Add the roasted squash and about 3/4 cup of the cabbage cooking water. Simmer over low heat until the water has reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the reserved cooking water until halfway done, about 1 minute less than the package directions. Transfer the pasta to the skillet with the pancetta and squash. Add the broccoli and about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook until the water evaporates and the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Stir vigorously.
5. Divide the pasta among plates and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and additional cheese.