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Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Yields
4 servings

Rachael tosses penne pasta in a sauce of creamy pumpkin and sweet sausage.

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ingredients

1
tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
1
lb(s) bulk sweet Italian sausage
4
cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1
medium onion, finely chopped
1
bay leaf, fresh or dried
4
- 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tbsp
1
cup dry white wine
1
cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1
cup canned pumpkin
½
cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
tsp ground cinnamon
½
tsp ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1
lb(s) penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating
Pumpernickel or whole grain bread, as an accompaniment
Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion, as an accompaniment, recipe follows

Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion

1
lb(s) triple-washed spinach, de-stemmed
1
small Golden Delicious apple, quartered, cored, and sliced
¼
small red onion, thinly sliced
¼
cup olive oil
1 ½
tbsp (a couple of splashes) apple cider vinegar
1
tsp grain mustard
1
tbsp (a good drizzle) honey
Coarse salt and black pepper
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directions

Step 1

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.

Step 2

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.

Step 3

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.

Step 4

Serve pumpkin sausage pasta with pumpernickel or whole grain bread and Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion.

Step 5

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.

Rate Recipe

My rating for Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage
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