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Hearty Fall Pasta

Fall invokes such coziness here at Wake Foot Sanctuary. As we settle into the season, we love watching the leaves change on the trees outside the shop. When we aren’t at the shop, we are indulging in fall traditions.  What is better than hayrides, apple picking, crisp air, hot cider, and participating in some spectacular leaf gazing? How about some good comfort food to go with it? A nice fire with a hearty bowl of this pumpkin and sausage pasta will round out the perfect fall evening. A glass of wine adds a nice touch. And why not? This rich creamy pasta dish calls for a bit of wine to enhance the flavors of the sausage and sage. It hits all the flavors of fall in one savory dish. It is perfect for a weeknight but also elegant enough to serve at a small dinner party. We hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
• 4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
• 1-2 shallots, finely chopped
• 4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
• 1 pound of your favorite pasta. We recommend penne or rigatoni.

Create this dish:

1. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to a bowl. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and shallot. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the shallots are tender.
3. Add sage and wine to the pan and scrape up any leftover sausage bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes.
4. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream if using.
5. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
6. Cook your pasta of choice and once drained, add it to the skillet with the pumpkin sausage sauce. Thoroughly combine and top with extra sage leaves.
7. Serve this dish with a fall salad and you have a complete meal!

Let us know how you enjoy this great fall recipe. Our stomachs are already rumbling![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]