Pumpkin Pasta With Winter Herbs And Parmesan Cheese Food

CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA

Steps:

• In a saucepan, cook onion, garlic, sage, thyme, and chili flakes in butter over medium heat until tender.
• Add flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Stir in broth a little bit at a time until smooth. Simmer 1 minute.
• Add pumpkin and heavy cream. Simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente in salted water according to package directions. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Toss pasta with sauce, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed. Top with parmesan cheese and parsley.

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.

PUMPKIN PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Dust a baking sheet with flour.
• For the pasta: Put the flour and pumpkin puree in a food processor and pulse in short bursts until the mixture comes together and a dough forms, about 1 minute.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll and cut the pasta to desired thickness using a rolling pin or a pasta machine. Cut into the desired shape, transfer to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with flour (this keeps the pieces from sticking together). Cover the pasta with plastic wrap for up to 4 hours if you are not cooking right away (see Cook's Note).
• Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy (there shouldn't be a line of raw flour in the center), 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness and shape. Drain thoroughly.
• For the sage butter: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are crispy and the butter begins to brown slightly and has a nutty aroma. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss vigorously to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

PENNE-WISE PUMPKIN PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Add salt and the pasta and cook al dente, reserving 12 cup of the starchy pasta water.
• In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, twice around the pan, over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, pumpkin, and cream, then season the sauce with the hot sauce, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes longer to thicken. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce a bit. Stir in the sage, then toss in the drained pasta and grated cheese.