Halloween night has been the source of legend and myth since for millennia has seen the Celts and the Druids welcome the spirits of their ancestors on Halloween, which was then called Samhain.
The pumpkin has become a ubiquitous symbol for Halloween. Did you ever wonder why?
There is an old Irish legend about a man named Stingy Jack. Jack lived a life filled with mischief and cruelty, and it is even said that he tricked the devil so he wouldn’t go to the underworld when he died.
At the end of his life, as the story goes, neither heaven nor hell would take him, and he was doomed to wander in the in-between for the remainder of eternity. Stingy Jack begged the devil for an ember of brimstone to keep him warm and the light the way in the darkness he was facing. The devil agreed and placed an ember into the hollow of the turnip Jack was carrying.
To keep Stingy Jack away, along with all dark spirits, the tradition of leaving a hollowed-out turnips and pumpkins on doorsteps became the tradition on all Hallows Eve.
There are many interesting myths and legends that you can share around the table on Halloween while feasting on the gourd that is the very symbol we attach to this day. Even the colours, orange and black, which are associated with Halloween is a deliberate one; colours which I incorporate into my spooky pumpkin pasta bake. Orange represents the harvest and the golden sun of the season, while black represents the shorter days and the fabled spirits who are said to roam the night on Halloween.
The black is represented by Nero di sepia pasta, which gets its shadowy shade from squid ink, and the orange comes from a creamy pumpkin sauce. This is a hearty dish that is sure to keep the conversation at the table engaging while providing the energy needed for a night of trick or treating.
Spooky Pumpkin Pasta Bake
- 1 pound Nero di Sepia pasta or favourite small tube or shell pasta of choice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 115 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 2 cups milk or vegetable stock
- 3 cups shredded cheese, gruyere works well, but use your favourite
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cook the pasta until al dente according to the box instructions. Once cooked, drain and place back in pot. Toss with olive oil.
In a large bowl mix together the pumpkin puree, milk, gruyere cheese, nutmeg, onion powder and salt. Fold in the pasta until everything is combined.
Pour the pasta mixture into a greased baking dish. Top with parmesan cheese and bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the middle is warm.
lona Daniel welcomes comments from readers by email at [email protected] or on Twitter: Twitter.com/chef_ilona.
