Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (450g) Rigatoni pasta
  • 1 cup (240ml) Reserved pasta water
  • 1 lb (450g) Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) Olive oil
  • 1 medium (110g) Shallot, finely minced
  • 3 cloves (9g) Garlic, minced
  • 15 oz (425g) Pure pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup (50g) Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups (60g) Fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tsp (2g) Dried sage
  • 1/2 tsp (1g) Red pepper flakes
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Boil a large pot of salted water. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente (usually 1-2 minutes less than package directions). Note: It will finish cooking in the sauce later.
  2. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and set it aside. until you have a full cup of starchy liquid.
  3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the Italian chicken sausage, breaking it into small crumbles with your spatula.
  4. Cook the sausage until browned and caramelized, then remove the meat from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
  5. In the same skillet (don't wash out those brown bits!), sauté minced shallots until translucent.
  6. Add the garlic, dried sage, and red pepper flakes, stirring for 30 seconds until the aroma fills the air.
  7. Stir in the pumpkin puree and chicken broth. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  8. Lower the heat to medium low. Stir in the half and half and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
  9. Fold in the browned sausage and fresh baby spinach, stirring for about 60 seconds until the spinach is just wilted.
  10. Toss in the cooked rigatoni. Add the reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings richly to the pasta.