Pumpkin Sauce for Pasta

Submitted by Dee514

"This pasta sauce is a nice change from the "usual" red or Alfredo pasta sauce. The addition of the cream tempers the taste of the pumpkin."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 55mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: 3-4 Cups

ingredients

• 1 sugar pumpkin
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 cup water
• 1⁄2 - 1 cup heavy cream (depending on thickness of the sauce)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons olive oil (for sauteing)
• grated parmesan cheese (optional)

directions

1. Rinse the outside of the pumpkin, remove the seeds, cut it up into medium-small pieces.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 boullion cube and the cut up pumpkin.
3. Put the lid on and boil until it is soft--about 1 hour, more or less (the time depends on the size of the pumpkin).
4. Remove cooked pumpkin from the pot into a colander to cool.
5. While pumpkin is cooling, sauté the chopped onion until clear, in a bit of olive oil.
6. Using a spoon, scoop the cooled pumpkin out of its skin or peel the skin away from the pumpkin and put into a bowl.
7. Mash the pumpkin well and fold in the onions and any oil left in the pan.
8. Put the cooked pumpkin and onion mixture into a medium stock pot and add 1 cup of water, 1 chicken bullion cube and a pinch of nutmeg.
9. It should have a thick"sauce type" consistency.
10. Simmer for one hour, checking to make sure there is just enough liquid (be careful not to let it scorch).
11. While the pasta is boiling, add the heavy cream and 1 teaspoon olive oil to the sauce.
12. Continue simmering sauce until pasta is cooked.
13. Pour sauce over cooked, drained pasta and toss lightly to mix.
14. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

Reviews

[Nattymummy]

Just the recipe I was looking for! All we had in the pantry that I was in the mood for was pumpkin and penne, but inspiration failed, and I turned to 'zaar. I roasted 3/4 of a butternut pumpkin (to retain a nice rich flavour) and then followed recipe pretty much as written. Subbed garlic salt as had no stock powder, and added two cloves of garlic, sliced, to the onion. I needed extra water as the pumpkin was dryer due to roasting, maybe one cup more. Added some tofu before the cream to crank up the protein, and only boiled for about 25-30 mins, as long as it took me to boil the water and cook the penne. Served with 7-grain bread rolls. My husband added grated cheese, I had it simply with some cracked pepper over the top. Very substantial and nice for an autumn meal. Next time I will roast a bulb of garlic with the pumpkin and add this to the sauce too.