Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

It's pumpkin time!  You guys already knew that.

You're out there hunting around for blog posts about pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin doughnuts, pumpkin coffee cake, pumpkin pancakes... and I want to tell you about a pasta recipe.

Bear with me.  

This pasta is savory, velvety, cozy, autumn-themed deliciousness.  It took me a whopping eighteen minutes to make from start to finish.  Although the sauce is creamy and feels like an indulgence, it is packed with Vitamin A and light on calories, so you can feel good about eating it.  

And perhaps best of all, it uses up any leftover pumpkin purée you may have hanging out in your refrigerator now that you've baked that glorious pumpkin pie/bread/cake.  

Excuse the fact that there is only one photo of this recipe tonight, and the fact that it is super-close up, and the awkward shadows, and... you know, basically everything that is wrong with this photo.  :)  I hadn't planned on posting tonight, but when I tasted this, I snapped one quick picture on my iPhone because I knew I had to share it.  

In my opinion this recipe is perfect on its own, but if you absolutely had to add some grilled shrimp on top, I wouldn't blame you in the least.  

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Adapted somewhat from here

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup pumpkin purée  

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken broth 

8 ounces linguine pasta

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, or less, to taste)

Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg

4 ounces chèvre cheese*

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and cook 3-5 minutes, until they start to look translucent.  Add the minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds, then add the pumpkin purée.   Cook the purée about a minute (just to get any raw flavor out).  Add the white wine, cook another minute, then add the chicken broth, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.  

Bring the sauce up to a boil, then add the pasta.  Cook, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes.  When the pasta is al dente, remove from heat and stir in the thyme and chèvre.  Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving; the sauce will thicken quickly.  

*My mom can't stand goat cheese.  If you're one of those people too, don't let that stop you from trying this recipe.  Greek yogurt has a similar consistency and can definitely be used as a substitute.