Fall Pasta

Fall Pasta

Recipe by Desirée 'BlackstoneBetty' Dukes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Italian sausage, ground
• 1 lb pasta plus 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1-5 oz bag fresh spinach
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1-12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1-15 oz pure pumpkin, pureed
• 8 oz mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tbsp butter
• handful fresh sage leaves
• 1 tsp sage, ground
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook 1 lb pasta and set aside and reserve 1 cup pasta water for sauce. 
2. On medium heat cook sausage, breaking apart to crumble sized pieces. Set aside or slide to part of the griddle with low or no heat. 
3. Drizzle about 1/2 tbsp olive oil on medium heat and add onions. Cook 3-5 minutes then divide onions in half adding some to the sausage and the rest continue to cook adding in the garlic cloves, smashing them first. Cook for one minute. 
4. In a blender or food processor add the onion and garlic mixture, cream, pumpkin, and mascarpone cheese to puree. (If your blender is large enough add in 1/2 cup of pasta water now if not you can add in later.) 
5. Return your sausage to medium heat, add crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper, and add the red peppers. toss to heat.
6. Add butter to melt and toss in the spinach to cook down. Mix all ingredients and season with ground sage. 
7. Turn burners to low and mix in the pasta. Add the pumpkin cream sauce and toss to coat evenly.
8. Burners can now be turned off, add in a little pasta water if needed to thin out sauce.
9. Finish with parmesan cheese and fresh chopped sage leaves.
10. Enjoy! 

Note from the Chef: The perfect fall pasta! Fool your friends, no one will ever know there's pumpkin in the sauce!