Gastronomic Flight: Wake – up from Hibernation stage - Spirit Elevated Pumpkin Spaghetti Pasta

Most of you might wonder why this Title “Wake – up from hibernation stage”, actually as the name suggest, I really needed a push from my hibernation stage of blogging. Just like some of the bloggers even I had come to this phase of blogging and just could not get myself to write anything inspite of having all the content, pictures etc ready. I even reached out to the social media for help on how to combat this sluggish feeling. And inspite of trying out the suggestions of fellow bloggers who had been through it, I was not able to get myself to start blogging once again. Until when I saw the Del Monte Italian Escapades contest which drew my attention. The Del Monte Escapades contest inspired me to write and so I took this as a chance to awaken the hibernated blogger in me. I being a hardcore Foodie who is passionate about travelling, this was like a ‘Sone Pe Suhaga’. I was sure nothing but only this would bring back life to the blogger in me. And I was right, it just started flowing.

I have named this dish as ‘Spirit Elevated Pumpkin Spaghetti Pasta’

‘Spirit Elevated Pumpkin Spaghetti Pasta’

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 35 - 40 mins
Equipment: 2 Pans, Spoon, Microwave oven, grater, slotted spoon, microwave baking tray, mixer-grinder
Serving: 4 Portion

Ingredients: (Pumpkin Spaghetti Sauce)
½ Packet Del Monte Spaghetti
100 gm Pumpkin
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Dry Rosemary
1 Bay Leaf
2 tsp Maida (Flour)
2 cup Milk
½ tsp nutmeg powder
1 – 2 green chilies
1 Cheese cube
1 tsp Mustard sauce
1 tsp pepper powder
Salt to taste

Ingredients : (Tomato Sauce)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic cloves (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 large Tomato
1 tbsp capsicum green (chopped)
1 tbsp French beans (chopped)
1 tbsp Corn (boiled)
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp coriander – jeera powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp Tomato sauce or Ketchup
1 tsp pepper powder
Salt to taste

Method: For Pumpkin Spaghetti Sauce

Bring water to boil, add few drops of oil and a pinch of salt. Cook Spaghetti in the boiling water till Al-Dente.

Rinse it under cold running water to stop further cooking, then add few drops of oil to the cooked spaghetti and mix well, so that they don’t stick to each other.

Take pumpkin remove the seeds and skin.

In a microwave baking tray place pumpkin and apply little oil, sprinkle salt and freshly crushed pepper. Bake it in pre-heated microwave oven or on convection mode for 15 mins or till pumpkin turns soft.

Grind the cooked pumpkin with green chilies’and keep aside.

In a pan heat olive oil, add rosemary and bay leaf. Fry till it turns light brown and then discard both with the slotted spoon. Now we have aromatic olive oil ready.

Add to this maida or flour and fry till the raw smell is gone.

Then slowly add milk and keep stirring continuously. Make sure that there are no lumps formed. Make smooth white sauce.

Grate nutmeg and add this to the above white sauce.

Add grated cheeses to the white sauce.

Mix in the above pumpkin paste and mustard sauce to the white sauce.

Add pepper and salt to taste. Now add the cooked spaghetti and mix well. Keep this aside.

For the Tomato Sauce:

Make a slit on the tomato and blanch it for 1 mins.

Immediately keep it under the cold running water.

Now remove the skin of tomato.

Grind the de-skinned tomato into puree.

In a pan add olive oil add garlic and fry till light pink.

Add chopped onion and fry till translucent.

Mix in the tomato puree and cook for 7 - 8 mins.

Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander-jeera powder. Mix and cook for 1 mins.

Mix in the capsicum, beans and tomato ketchup or sauce.

Now add oregano and chilli flakes.

Add boiled corns, salt to taste and pepper. Mix well.

Now for the serving:

In a plate form a circle of the pumpkin spaghetti with a cavity in the center. Pour in the prepared tomato sauce in the center cavity. Garnish it with grated cheeses, oregano, corn and spring of mint leaves. Serve hot with garlic bread.