Nov 10 , 2021
CREAMY PUMPKIN & SAUSAGE SAGE PASTA
by Deborah Mele of https://www.italianfoodforever.com
https://www.italianfoodforever.com/2021/11/creamy-pumpkin-sausage-sage-pasta/
Italian Food, Entertainment
Fall has arrived and brought with it a fantastic selection of new fruits and vegetables for us to enjoy. I am now buying apples, pears, greens, and pumpkin each and every shopping trip and am thoroughly enjoying creating new fall recipes with these ingredients. I love summer, but nothing inspires a cook more than having a whole unique selection of produce to play with! In Umbria, we do not have the large selection of winter squash that I am used to back in North America, but as soon as the cool weather is here, zucca (pumpkin) can be found in every grocery store or outdoor market. Since there is no such thing as canned pumpkin in Italy, I often buy it fresh and roast it, puree it, and then use it for my dessert recipes. When I want to include pumpkin in savory recipes, I often roast it until it is tender, then fold it into risotto or pasta dishes. In this recipe, I used my favorite skillet to cook the sauce from start to finish in the time it took to bring the pasta water to boil, then cook the pasta.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Pound Pasta of Choice
- 2 Tablespoons Olive OIl
- 1 Pound Fresh Pumpkin, Cut Into 3/4-inch Cubes
- 3/4 Pound Italian Sausage, Removed From The Casing
- 1 Medium Onion, Peeled & Chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloves, Peeled & Minced
- 4 Sage Leaves, Finely Chopped
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
TO SERVE:
- Shaved Parmesan
- Cracked Black Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
- Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat, then add the pumpkin and sausages.
- Cook, breaking up the sausage into bite-size pieces, for 8 mins, or until the sausage and pumpkin are beginning to brown.
- Add the onion, garlic, and sage and cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and grated cheese, cook for about 3 minutes until thickened, then remove from the heat.
- Season with salt and pepper, then add to the pasta along with enough pasta water to loosen as needed.
- Cook briefly, stirring constantly over high heat until piping hot.
- Serve in individual pasta bowls topped with shavings of Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.
