Ingredients:
- Tbsp Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)
- Tbsp Unsalted Butter, divided
- medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
- cloves Garlic, minced
- large Fresh Sage Leaves
- 3/4 cups Pumpkin Purée (not pie filling)
- cup Vegetable or Chicken Stock (low sodium)
- /2 cup Heavy Cream (35% fat)
- /4 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
- lb Pasta (Rigatoni, Orecchiette, or Fettuccine)
- /2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra for serving
- /2 tsp Lemon Zest
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil.
- Melt 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sage leaves; fry until crisp (about 2 minutes). Remove sage leaves with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnish. Add remaining 2 Tbsp butter and continue cooking until nutty brown specs form on the bottom (brown butter).
- Add diced onion to the brown butter mixture; cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the pumpkin purée, scraping up any browned bits. Pour in the stock, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- While the sauce simmers, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until very al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions). Crucially, reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy cooking water before draining.
- Reduce the heat under the skillet to low. Stir in the heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Using tongs, transfer the undercooked pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce. Ladle in about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water.
- Toss vigorously over medium-low heat. The starch from the water will emulsify with the sauce. Add more pasta water, a splash at a time, until the sauce clings beautifully to the pasta.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest until fully melted into the sauce. Divide among bowls, garnish with the crispy sage leaves and extra Parmesan.