Welcome pumpkin season with a simple, yet gourmet pumpkin pasta. The sauce is creamy and mild with bursts of aromatic sage and toasty pecans.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound penne, cooked according to package directions
Pumpkin Cream Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14-ounce) can organic pumpkin OR 2 cups roasted butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups soy, almond, or rice milk
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 3 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Crispy Sage
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 8 fresh sage leaves, whole
- Sea salt
- ½ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Procedure
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
To make the Pumpkin Cream Sauce: In a large skillet, heat oil and sauté onions until soft. Add garlic and let cook a few more minutes. Remove from heat. In a blender, puree the onion mixture, pumpkin, tomato paste, nondairy milk, nutmeg, maple syrup, salt, and pepper until smooth.
To make the Crispy Sage: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet until a small piece of sage sizzles when added to the oil. Fry the remaining sage leaves 4 at a time, flipping once, until crispy (about 1 minute total). Watch the sage leaves carefully to make sure that they do not burn. Let them drain on a paper towel and season lightly with salt.
To assemble the pasta: Toss hot pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce, toasted pecans, and fresh sage. Garnish with crispy sage and dig in!