Roasted Pumpkin Penne With Autumn Pesto

Rachel Ray's recipe. Sounds great! Haven't made it so prep times are estimated.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, toasted chopped
• 1  inch ginger (peeled and grated or minced)
• 2  garlic cloves (grated or mashed into paste with salt )
• 1  teaspoon lemon zest (plus juice of 1/2 lemon, about 2 tablespoons)
• 1  cup  Baby Spinach (or farm-bundled spinach, packed )
• 1  cup flat leaf parsley, packed
•  salt and pepper
• 1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  sugar pumpkin (or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes )
• 1  teaspoon sweet paprika
•  nutmeg (Freshly grated)
• 1  lb  whole wheat penne (or semolina penne rigate )
• 1⁄2 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese (grated )
•  pumpkin seeds, toasted (available in bulk foods section, (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Place parsley, spinach, ginger, garlic, nuts, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper in food processor and turn processor on. Stream about 1/3 cup EVOO into processor to form a pesto sauce.
3. Drizzle the pumpkin cubes with 2 tablespoons EVOO and season with salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg. Roast 15 minutes, turn the cubes over and roast 15 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, bring water to boil for pasta, salt it and cook to al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy water just before draining. Drain pasta, return to hot pot, add reserved water and pesto, and toss to coat. Gently mix in the roasted pumpkin cubes and serve topped with lots of cheese and some pumpkin seeds, if desired.