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Pumpkin-Sausage Rigatoni
Melissa Hart

Pumpkin-Sausage Rigatoni

Pumpkin makes a velvety tomato sauce for sausage and rigatoni without reading as dessert. The pasta is boiled separately and folded in at the end, because no noodle improves after six hours. Sage and Parmesan push the sauce firmly toward dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs mild Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 can 15 oz pumpkin puree
  • 1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp rubbed sage
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 lb rigatoni
  • 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the sausage, breaking it into bite-size pieces, 7 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add the onion and cook until soft, 4 minutes, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and stir in the pumpkin, tomatoes, broth, sage, salt and pepper.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours until the sauce darkens slightly and the onion disappears into it.
  5. Stir in the cream and keep the cooker on warm while boiling the rigatoni in salted water until just tender.
  6. Drain the pasta, fold it and 3/4 cup Parmesan into the sauce and let it stand for 5 minutes.
  7. Serve with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top.