Spaghetti with Pumpkin and Sage Sauce

Spaghetti con Crema di Zucca e Salvia

Today I had a big piece of pumpkin in the refrigerator. So I decided to make this simple dish of spaghetti with pumpkin and sage sauce! My family found it delicious!

 Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 30-40 minutes

Serves 2–3

Ingredients:

8 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ lb. (220g) finely chopped pumpkin
Salt, about ½ tsp. + 1 tbsp.
6-7 sage leaves, finely chopped
3 tbsp. regular butter
2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese
Water, about 8 cups (2 L)
½ lb. (approximately 250 g) spaghetti
Black pepper to taste

Method:

1.        Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the pumpkin and salt, cover, and let cook about 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
2.        Then add the sage and butter, stir and let cook all together another 5 minutes.
3.        Turn off the heat and add Parmigiano cheese to the sauce. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
4.        Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp. salt. Add the spaghetti and boil them, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the spaghetti and transfer to the pan with the pumpkin sauce. Stir well and let cook together another minute. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of black pepper.

Notes:

·         You can use scialatielli, tagliatelle or fettuccine pasta in place of the spaghetti.