Paccheri with Pumpkin and Nduja

Method

1. Peel and mince the garlic, removing the inner germ to avoid bitterness.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pan over low heat and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant.
3. Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and fibrous inner part, and cut into uneven cubes (larger and smaller pieces).
4. Add the pumpkin cubes to the pan, season with salt, and cook on low heat with the lid on until the pumpkin starts to caramelize and release its liquid.
5. Add a ladle of hot pasta cooking water, increase the heat, and stir. Repeat adding water as needed until the pumpkin becomes creamy but still has some chunkier pieces.
6. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the paccheri (about 10 minutes if dried).
7. When the pumpkin is creamy, add the nduja, breaking it up, and stir well over medium-high heat. Add more pasta water as needed to keep the sauce creamy.
8. When the pasta is al dente, transfer it to the pan with the pumpkin and nduja sauce. Finish cooking together, adding pasta water to adjust the creaminess.
9. Turn off the heat, plate the pasta, drizzle with a little raw extra virgin olive oil, and shave fresh ricotta salata on top.