Photo by Aaron Burden
It’s fall, and there is pumpkin everywhere.
I’m sure you have noticed that, beginning as early as late August, little mini pumpkins appear in the grocery store. Coffee shops announce that pumpkin lattes are back. And then there are the baked goods and desserts: pumpkin cookies and muffins, pumpkin rolls swirled with creamy icing, pumpkin Oreos and even pumpkin ice cream. Pumpkin pie is a favorite of my family, and I make it throughout the fall. But did I really see pumpkin Cheerios out there?
Pumpkin and its close relative, butternut squash, can be found in many Italian recipes, as well, especially in the northern part of the country, where it is often paired with game. Pumpkin is roasted with potatoes, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, pureed into soups and simmered with dry-cured olives, onions and tomatoes into a savory stew.
But pumpkin’s marriage with various forms of pasta is where it shines: creamy risottos, plump tortellini and pillowy gnocchi. And, very often, you will find these pastas laced with lots of sweet butter, heavy cream and fresh sage.
In my unending search for new pasta dishes, I found a Country Living magazine recipe that pairs rigatoni with pumpkin and a pine nut “gremolata.” Gremolata is a finely chopped mixture of parsley, garlic, lemon and various nuts. It is most often used in the classic veal dish, osso buco, but adds a bright punch to soups, salads and stews, as well. As an alternative, a simple topping of crushed amaretti cookies would be a luscious touch (really!).
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rigatoni
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup), plus more for serving
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Directions
- Cook pasta according to directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and return to the pot.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or high-sided sauté pan. Add the sage leaves, and cook them until they are crisp (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer them with a slotted spoon or spatula to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool, crumble the sage leaves into pieces and toss together with the toasted pine nuts and lemon zest in a little bowl.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, the shallot and garlic to the saucepan. Add salt and pepper to your taste and cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture is tender (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add the pumpkin, Parmesan, heavy cream, nutmeg and ½ cup reserved pasta water.
- Cook until slightly thickened (3-5 minutes). Add a little more salt if desired. Cook carefully at this time so that the pumpkin doesn’t stick and burn. Stir frequently and turn the heat to medium low if necessary.
- Add pasta to the pan and stir to combine, adding a little more pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too thick.
- Serve sprinkled with the pine nut gremolata.
The pasta looks lovely on a platter garnished with more fresh sage leaves. If you are not fond of lemon or pine nuts, you can simply sprinkle the dried sage leaves and extra Parmesan cheese on top.
I know pumpkin pasta will not stand in for your Thanksgiving turkey. But give it a try on a cool November evening for something very different from your usual red sauce option. It pairs well with a light, fruity red wine or a chilled sparkling Prosecco. And remember, Beaujolais Nouveau is coming!
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