Farfalle with Sausage and Pumpkin

Somehow, pumpkin has become the new bacon. I’m not sure how or why, but it seems that the second Labor Day was over, every food blogger in the history of the world started blogging pumpkin recipes. That may be a tad overdramatic, but to be honest, I was and still am overwhelmed by the volume of pumpkin recipes invading the interwebs over the last couple of months. I have certainly been guilty of this in the past, but I didn’t really want to contribute to the oversaturation this year…until now. This is one of two pumpkin recipes I have made recently. I won a giveaway on Mango & Tomato and was sent a couple of boxes of pasta. The spaghetti went quickly in one of my favorite easy recipes, but I wanted to try something a bit different with the farfalle which is not a type of pasta I use often. This dish is total comfort food, but not unhealthy. There is the slight sweetness of the pumpkin and cinnamon and a gentle heat from the red pepper flakes. The sage is not overpowering rounds out the flavor. The spinach added a bit of green and more would certainly be welcome. I’ve been sort of obsessed with Romano cheese lately, but if you don’t have it, Parmesan works well.



One year ago: Brunch at The Churchill
Two years ago: SugarFISH
Three years ago: Albondigas
Four years ago: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Farfalle with Sausage and Pumpkin
(Adapted from My Kitchen Addiction)

Makes 4-5 servings

10 ounces farfalle pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
Kosher salt to taste
12 ounces sage pork sausage
1/2 teaspoon diced fresh sage
1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup finely chopped spinach
3/4 cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season lightly with salt. Cook until the onion has softened a bit, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage and use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the meat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the sausage is browned and cooked through.

Add the sage, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon to the pan. Cook for one minute. Add the pumpkin puree, spinach and wine and cook for 2-3 minutes until everything is warmed through and combined. Taste and season with salt if necessary. Add the pasta to the pan and toss to combine. If the mixture looks dry, add the reserved pasta water to the pan a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Serve the pasta topped with Parmesan or Romano cheese if desired.

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