Perfect Pumpkin Penne Pasta

Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Don’t rinse—throw a towel over cooked pasta to keep warm.

While the water for the pasta is boiling, heat a few tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion for around 3 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and saute for about 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.

Off the heat, add the wine to the pan. Submerge the bay leaf and toss in the sage. Stir and mix well, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Wine should reduce down.

Add chicken stock and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Bring to a healthy simmer, stirring often. If mixture starts to burn, reduce heat. Add cream and mix well.

Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add seasonings as desired. (This is a balancing act. Depending on your tastes, you might want more spice, salt, or cinnamon and nutmeg. Taste as you go and stop when you’re satisfied.)

Once sauce has been well-seasoned to your liking, let sauce simmer together while pasta finishes cooking, no more than 15 minutes. Reduce heat and cover for no more than 15 minutes.

When pasta is ready and sauce has thickened, add pasta to the sauce, mix well to coat, and serve.

Notes:

1. Taste your cream sauce as you go along! It’s a balancing act to make sure the sauce is properly seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. The measurements for seasonings are approximate, so taste as you go and stop when you’re happy.

2. If you like more sauce, use less pasta or double the sauce recipe.

Enjoy!