Mantuan nuns once stuffed pumpkin tortelli with crushed amaretti cookies, turning a savory dish into Lombardy's strangest sweet-and-salty Renaissance invention.
Carbozucca
Indulge in a luscious blend of flavors with our Carbozucca—a delightful take on classic carbonara that features velvety pumpkin puree. Tossed with crispy pancetta and finished with a sprinkle of nutty Parmesan, this dish brings a cozy autumn vibe to your table. Get ready to savor every creamy bite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This bastardized carbonara emerged from Rome's kitchens where someone decided classic guanciale-and-egg decadence needed autumn squash wedged in, probably to justify eating it in October—blending Lazio's 1950s trattoria staple with northern Italy's obsession with zucca, proving Italians will fuse regional rivalries the moment pumpkin season threatens their pasta supremacy, creating something your nonna would either applaud or disown entirely.
Regional Twist
In Mantua, cooks swap half the zucca arrosto for mostarda-spiced pumpkin, nodding to their famous tortelli di zucca tradition, while keeping the guanciale crispy and unapologetic, because Lombardy refuses to let Rome have all the pumpkin glory without a fight.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 4 tuorli
- 50g pecorino (1.76 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 200g spaghetti (7.06 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- TANTO pepe nero
📦Other(3)
- 120g guanciale (4.24 oz)
- 50g parmigiano (1.76 oz)
- 150g zucca arrosto (5.29 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
526
Protein
23g
Carbs
40g
Fat
30g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Remove the rind from the guanciale and cut it into pieces. Cook in a pan until crispy.
- 2
In a food processor, blend pecorino and parmigiano. You can use only pecorino or only parmigiano if preferred.
- 3
Add a generous amount of black pepper.
- 4
Mix the grated cheeses with egg yolks and roasted pumpkin to create a creamy sauce.
- 5
Cook spaghetti in salted water until al dente, then drain and add to the pan with guanciale.
- 6
Combine spaghetti with the creamy sauce, adding pasta cooking water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
- 7
Serve with additional black pepper and crispy guanciale on top.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cut guanciale into 3-4mm pieces and render at medium heat (300°F) for 8-10 minutes until fat reaches 165°F internal temperature, then increase heat to crisp the exterior. This two-stage approach renders 60-70% of fat while preventing protein denaturation that hardens the meat.technique300°F initial | 165°F rendering point | 8-10 minutes
- ✓Reserve 200ml pasta cooking water before draining, then add it in 30ml increments to the egg yolk mixture. The starch concentration (0.8-1.2%) emulsifies the sauce and prevents curdling by lowering the egg protein coagulation temperature by 5-10°F.timing200ml total | 30ml increments | 0.8-1.2% starch
- ✓Temper the egg yolks by whisking them with cheese at room temperature, then add the hot guanciale fat (around 180°F) in a thin stream while whisking constantly. This prevents scrambling and maintains emulsion stability, yielding a silky sauce rather than a broken, grainy texture.technique180°F guanciale fat | thin stream whisking
- ✓Toast the black pepper in a dry pan at 325°F for 2-3 minutes before grinding to release volatile oils (pinene, limonene) and increase perceived spice intensity by 40%, then grind immediately before use to prevent aroma loss.ingredient325°F | 2-3 minutes | 40% intensity increase
- ✓Combine spaghetti with sauce off-heat for 30-45 seconds before plating to allow starch-thickened paste to coat each strand without overcooking eggs, which denature above 158°F and break the emulsion.timing30-45 seconds off-heat | 158°F egg threshold
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Mantuan nuns once stuffed pumpkin tortelli with crushed amaretti cookies, turning a savory dish into Lombardy's strangest sweet-and-salty Renaissance invention.
Carbozucca
Indulge in a luscious blend of flavors with our Carbozucca—a delightful take on classic carbonara that features velvety pumpkin puree. Tossed with crispy pancetta and finished with a sprinkle of nutty Parmesan, this dish brings a cozy autumn vibe to your table. Get ready to savor every creamy bite!
The Story
This bastardized carbonara emerged from Rome's kitchens where someone decided classic guanciale-and-egg decadence needed autumn squash wedged in, probably to justify eating it in October—blending Lazio's 1950s trattoria staple with northern Italy's obsession with zucca, proving Italians will fuse regional rivalries the moment pumpkin season threatens their pasta supremacy, creating something your nonna would either applaud or disown entirely.
Regional Twist
In Mantua, cooks swap half the zucca arrosto for mostarda-spiced pumpkin, nodding to their famous tortelli di zucca tradition, while keeping the guanciale crispy and unapologetic, because Lombardy refuses to let Rome have all the pumpkin glory without a fight.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 4 tuorli
- 50g pecorino (1.76 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 200g spaghetti (7.06 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- TANTO pepe nero
📦Other(3)
- 120g guanciale (4.24 oz)
- 50g parmigiano (1.76 oz)
- 150g zucca arrosto (5.29 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
526
Protein
23g
Carbs
40g
Fat
30g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Remove the rind from the guanciale and cut it into pieces. Cook in a pan until crispy.
- 2
In a food processor, blend pecorino and parmigiano. You can use only pecorino or only parmigiano if preferred.
- 3
Add a generous amount of black pepper.
- 4
Mix the grated cheeses with egg yolks and roasted pumpkin to create a creamy sauce.
- 5
Cook spaghetti in salted water until al dente, then drain and add to the pan with guanciale.
- 6
Combine spaghetti with the creamy sauce, adding pasta cooking water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
- 7
Serve with additional black pepper and crispy guanciale on top.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cut guanciale into 3-4mm pieces and render at medium heat (300°F) for 8-10 minutes until fat reaches 165°F internal temperature, then increase heat to crisp the exterior. This two-stage approach renders 60-70% of fat while preventing protein denaturation that hardens the meat.technique300°F initial | 165°F rendering point | 8-10 minutes
- ✓Reserve 200ml pasta cooking water before draining, then add it in 30ml increments to the egg yolk mixture. The starch concentration (0.8-1.2%) emulsifies the sauce and prevents curdling by lowering the egg protein coagulation temperature by 5-10°F.timing200ml total | 30ml increments | 0.8-1.2% starch
- ✓Temper the egg yolks by whisking them with cheese at room temperature, then add the hot guanciale fat (around 180°F) in a thin stream while whisking constantly. This prevents scrambling and maintains emulsion stability, yielding a silky sauce rather than a broken, grainy texture.technique180°F guanciale fat | thin stream whisking
- ✓Toast the black pepper in a dry pan at 325°F for 2-3 minutes before grinding to release volatile oils (pinene, limonene) and increase perceived spice intensity by 40%, then grind immediately before use to prevent aroma loss.ingredient325°F | 2-3 minutes | 40% intensity increase
- ✓Combine spaghetti with sauce off-heat for 30-45 seconds before plating to allow starch-thickened paste to coat each strand without overcooking eggs, which denature above 158°F and break the emulsion.timing30-45 seconds off-heat | 158°F egg threshold