Pasta with Pumpkin & Sage
October is my absolute favorite month here in Northern California. There is a golden, magical, late afternoon quality to the light that lasts all day. The mornings and evenings are cool, the afternoons are warm, the sun almost always shines, and the days are still long(ish). It is the month that inspires me to cook the most and to cozy-in for dinners around a candlelit table. And, I’m always excited to start using sage which is the ingredient that screams ‘fall’ to me more than any other. This is the perfect simple meal to celebrate all the fall feels. Enjoy!
PASTA WITH PUMPKIN & SAGE
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
(1) 12 oz box of gluten free Penne or Rigatoni (I like Jovial brand brown rice pasta)
(1) 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
10 fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk)
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat water to boil in a large stockpot. When fully boiling, add 1 TB kosher salt & 1 tsp olive oil to the water. (Note: gluten free pasta tends to be starchy. Adding the olive oil to the water will help it from sticking together while cooking.)
While water is heating, in a large saute pan, heat 2 TB olive oil. Saute shallot until translucent but not brown. Stir in sage leaves, reserving a couple for garnish, and saute until fragrant. Stir in pumpkin puree and whisk over medium heat until pumpkin has thinned a bit and is smooth. Add cream, salt, pepper, and red chili flakes. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches a simmer. Remove from heat.
Cook pasta for 1 minute less than manufacturer’s instructions. The pasta should be ‘al dente’ but fully cooked through. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Shake out any excess water and add pasta to hot sauce. Stir to heat through and until pasta is fully coated with the sauce. Stir in all but 1 TB Pecorino Romano. (Note: gluten free pasta like to clump together. It’s essential to rinse off all the starch after it’s cooked to maintain individual pieces).
Place pasta in a large serving bowl. Garnish with reserved sage and Pecorino Romano. Enjoy!
