Pumpkin & Sausage Pasta Sauce

Finally, I’ve managed to finish off my roasted pumpkin with this great pasta sauce!

Quite different from my other pumpkin recipes so far, but using classic combinations for Italian cooking, this is another sauce based on a pack of good quality shop-bought sausages, deskinned to form a wonderful rich meaty sauce when combined with the cream and pumpkin.  Spiced traditionally with sage and chilli flakes, this is great comfort food which can be on the table within 30 minutes.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 pack (about 400g) Good quality Sausages, peeled/deskinned (I use Tesco’s Finest Cumberland Sausages)
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp Dried Sage
• 250ml Vegetable Stock
• 500g Roasted Pumpkin, roughly smashed up, not too smooth
• 1 dried Cayenne Chilli, crushed, or a few chilli flakes
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 150ml Double Cream
• 300g Fresh Pasta, such as Penne, Fusilli
• A little fresh chopped parsley (optional)

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the sausage meat.  Crush with a spoon and fry down into even, small lumps to make a meaty ragu
• After a few minutes add the onion & garlic and sweat until softened.  Stir in the sage and chilli
• Add the stock, deglaze the pan and then stir the pumpkin through the stock.  Bring to a gentle simmer whilst you cook the pasta
• Cook the pasta until just underdone, in plenty of salted water
• Spoon the pasta directly into the pumpkin mixture, taking some of the pasta water with it to slacken off the sauce
• Pour over the cream and stir well
• Cover and heat through for a couple of minutes to finish cooking the pasta & help soak up the flavours, stirring occasionally
• Add the parsley, if using, and dish up with a fresh rocket salad to serve

Related articles

• Pasta With Pumpkin And Sausage – Printable Recipe (lifewithlorelai.wordpress.com)
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• Perre’s Creamy Italian Sausage and Pumpkin Manicotti (okramagazine.org)