Pumpkin Kale And Sausage Pasta Bake Food

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND KALE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside, reserving the water.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then pinch off 1- to 2-inch pieces of the sausage, adding it to the pan as you go. Cook for a couple minutes, flipping and stirring the sausage to brown both sides. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion has softened a little, a couple of minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the sausage is cooked through, another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Use a ladle to remove 2/3 cup pasta water from the pasta pot and add it to the skillet. Add the kale and cook until it has started to wilt, about 30 seconds, then add the pesto and cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring gently, until the sauce has thickened and the kale has wilted, about 3 minutes. If the skillet starts to look too dry at any stage, add a little more pasta water.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and add the butter, lemon zest, pasta and Parmesan. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve in bowls garnished with the fresh basil.

CHEESY BAKED PUMPKIN PASTA WITH KALE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees and butter a shallow 2-quart/9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Cook the pasta in the boiling water for 4 minutes, adding the kale for the last minute. Drain the pasta and kale, rinse under cold water, then transfer to a large bowl along with the red-pepper flakes and the chopped herbs.
• In a blender, add the pumpkin, garlic, salt, pepper, cream and vegetable broth. Blend until smooth. (If you don't want to use a blender, add the pumpkin, salt and pepper to a large bowl and use a spoon to break it up into a smooth mixture. Slowly whisk in the cream and vegetable broth until mixture is smooth, then grate in the garlic.) Add the sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Add in most of the grated cheese, reserving about 1/2 cup, and stir to coat.
• Transfer the pasta into the baking dish, then dollop the ricotta over top and sprinkle remaining grated cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until brown and bubbly. If you want the pasta really browned, broil it for 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully. Allow the dish to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and garnish with additional chopped herbs before serving.

CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain.
• Cook and stir sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned and crumbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain sausage on paper towels and reserve 2 tablespoons grease in the skillet. Add oil to grease in the skillet; cook and stir onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the hot oil-grease until onion is soft, about 3 minutes.
• Stir chicken broth, pumpkin, bacon, Italian seasoning, and salt into onion mixture; bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir cream and sausage into broth mixture and simmer until creamy and thickened, about 5 minutes. Add rotini and gently toss. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

FALL KALE AND SAUSAGE PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Spray a 9-by-13-inch ceramic or metal baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat the olive oil in the pan, then add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown at the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is very aromatic, another minute. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling into small chunks with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup pasta water to the pan and scrape up any of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in the heavy cream and cook, stirring frequently, until it comes to a simmer. Stir in the kale, then cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted and tender and the heavy cream has thickened, another 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the nutmeg and about 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper on the kale (taste here, as your sausage might have different seasonings). Remove from the heat and stir in the ricotta until just combined, followed by 1/4 cup each of the fontina and mozzarella. Add the pasta and stir until it is coated in sauce and the cheese starts to melt, adding pasta water if the mixture seems too thick. Taste and season with a little more salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top it with the remaining 1/4 cup fontina, 1/4 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan. Broil the pasta until the cheese is brown and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

PASTA WITH PUMPKIN AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.
• Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.
• Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.
• Serve pumpkin sausage pasta with pumpernickel or whole grain bread and Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion.
• Place spinach, apple, and onion in a salad bowl. Place oil, vinegar, mustard and honey in a small plastic container and fit lid on container. Shake dressing to combine, 1 minute. Pour dressing over salad, toss, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

CHEESY BAKED PUMPKIN PASTA WITH PANCETTA, KALE, AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the pancetta until it's crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or rack to cool and discard all but approximately 2 tsp rendered fat.
• To the same pan, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes for the last minute and toast for just 20 to 30 seconds, before the garlic scorches.
• Add 2 Tbsp water to de-glaze the pan, scrape up any browned bits, and remove from the heat.
• While the onion cooks, fill a large pot of salted water and bring it to a boil.
• Preheat the oven to 450F and grease a rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.
• Add the kale to the boiling water and cook for just 2 minutes or so, until it's bright green and tender but not soft. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a colander.
• To the same pot, add the pasta and cook it a minute or two short of package instructions; it should be just shy of al dente.
• Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta in the colander with the kale.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the canned pumpkin with 1 cup shredded Gruyère or Cheddar. Season generously with black pepper.
• Whisk ½ cup pasta water into the pumpkin mix. It should be about the consistency of bechamel, thin enough to coat the pasta but not watery; if needed, add a bit more water.
• Fold in the pasta, kale, onions, pancetta and beans and stir well to coat.
• Transfer to the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup shredded cheese over the top; finish with the breadcrumbs and spray with a bit of cooking spray to increase browning..
• Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden. For deeper browning, place 3 to 4 inches beneath your broiler and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.