I’m never too sure if I like pumpkin in savory dishes. I always hesitate before ordering them, trying to remember if the last time I tried them I liked them.
I can’t speak for all savory pumpkin dishes, but I definitely liked this one. The combination of traditional pumpkin pie spices matched with the bit of heat from the cayenne pepper (I used one of my whole cayenne peppers instead of the chili sauce suggested.)
Instead of heavy cream, I used half a 125 g. container of plain yogurt, so this meal is completely do-able for a guiltless, weeknight dinner. I’m sure that the original version, which I found over at Closet Cooking is delicious too, but I was quite happy with my reduced-fat version.
Penne with Pumpkin and Sage Sauce (adapted from Closet Cooking)
1/2 cup penne pasta, uncooked
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tsp. dried sage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 dried cayenne pepper, broken in half
1 cup pumpkin puree
65 g. plain yogurt (about ¼ cup)
1 tsp. “Quatre Epices†(a spice blend made up of black pepper, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon)
salt and pepper
goat cheese
Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving some of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet with high sides until sizzling. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook 1-2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, sage and chili. Cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the pumpkin puree and stir to heat through, cooking for about 2 minutes. Add the Quatre Epices and salt to taste. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the yogurt and the pasta. Add water if needed to get the sauce to the consistency you like.
Serve with crumbled goat cheese on top and a sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper.
Looks good! I like the substitutions.