This pumpkin and bacon pasta reminds food writer of the joys of cooking

“Do you still enjoy cooking?” I’ve been asked this question regularly throughout my career as a food blogger, line cook and now food staff writer. It happened again recently when I spoke to students in a college food writing course. And, for better or worse, the answer is a mixed bag.

In the Before Times, when food and cooking were primarily a hobby for me, I would spend my free time sauntering through the aisles of the grocery store, picking up a few ingredients that caught my eye, then heading into the kitchen to experiment and play. The entire experience brought me joy with a side of nourishment.

Over the years, my relationship with cooking has evolved. I rarely cook with the same spirit of improvisation and experimentation that I used to. Recipe development and writing take up much of my workweek, and now my brain is hardwired to measure every pinch of spice I add and use a stopwatch to see how long it takes for vegetables to soften. Meanwhile, in the back of my mind, I’m also trying to decide whether some aspect of the cooking process or an ingredient I’m using would make for an informative article to share with readers. It’s become hard for me to turn that off.

With so much of my cooking focused on recording the details to make recipes easy for others to replicate, there’s little room for the reckless abandon I once cherished. My brain doesn’t have much time or space to wander in my kitchen. (Now my daydreaming is primarily confined to the brainstorming process.) I imagine others who have turned their creative outlets into careers can relate.

But that’s not to say that all is lost. I do still find joy and comfort in the familiar steps and smells of the cooking process, like frying bacon and sauteing onions and garlic. Though my opportunities to improvise in the kitchen have diminished, these actions still bring a smile to my face as they remind me that delicious things are soon to come.

That’s how this pumpkin pasta begins. Strips of bacon that have been cut into pieces are fried in a skillet until crisp, their scent perfuming the air as a beacon for hungry stomachs yearning to be sated. Some of the rendered bacon grease is then used to saute onions and garlic – along with dried thyme and a dash of ground allspice for extra complexity and warmth – adding to the enticing aroma. Lastly, canned pumpkin puree, fresh goat cheese, and pasta and its cooking water join in on the fun.

Pumpkin Pasta With Bacon and Goat Cheese

This fall pasta features a sauce made with earthy pumpkin puree, tangy goat cheese and a dash of allspice for warmth. Crisp bits of bacon add smoke, crunch and savory flavor to each comforting bowl.

Fine salt

8 ounces medium dried pasta, such as fusilli or rotini

8 ounces bacon (6 to 8 slices), cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces

1 small yellow onion (5 ounces), diced

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

⅛ teaspoon ground allspice

4 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chèvre)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.

To a cold, large (12-inch) nonstick skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until the fat is rendered and the bacon browns and crisps, 7 to 10 minutes. While the bacon is cooking, line a large plate with paper towels and set it near your workspace. Carefully transfer the bacon to the prepared plate with a slotted spoon. Pour the fat into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup, then return 2 tablespoons to the skillet. (Reserve the rest of the bacon fat for another use.)

Add the onion, thyme, pepper and allspice to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften and turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Reduce the heat to low; add the pumpkin puree, goat cheese, cooked pasta and ½ cup of the pasta cooking water; and stir until evenly combined, adding more pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick. Remove from the heat. Taste, and season with salt and pepper, as desired. Divide the pasta among bowls, sprinkle with the cooked bacon and serve warm.

Yield: Three to four servings (makes 5 cups)

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Substitutions: Vegetarian? Omit the bacon, use olive oil for the fat and add smoked paprika to taste. For bacon, use pancetta or guanciale. For yellow onion, use white or red onion or shallots. For dried thyme leaves, use 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves.