Thursday, October 2, 2014

Pumpkin Gorgonzola pasta

Enjoy all the best flavors of fall in this hearty but lightened pasta, with a rich and creamy pumpkin gorgonzola cheese sauce.

Pasta and mushrooms in a creamy pumpkin gorgonzola cheese sauce

Now that it's October, I give all of us official permission to start talking about pumpkin recipes.

Granted, I'm probably the only food blogger on the planet that hasn't been posting pumpkin recipes since Labor Day, but I'm loyal to produce seasonality.

I don't mean to malign the poor pumpkin; I love it, I really do. Well, except for pumpkin pie -- but that's just because I'm a pie crust hater. And pumpkin spice freakin' lattes -- but that's just because they are all over the place like a really bad rash. How about a butternut latte, Starbucks? Or a kale-scented candle, Yankee Candle people? I'd buy either one of those in a heartbeat.

Anyhoo, we're talking pumpkin. More specifically, we're talking pumpkin pasta. Even more specifically, pumpkin pasta with a rich, creamy Gorgonzola cheese sauce.

Awwwwwwwww yeah.

This pasta recipe is an oldie-but-a-goodie around Casa de Ninj. It's a Cooking Light recipe that I have been making for 10 years.

(ERMERGAHD, 10 years!)

It's a recipe I like to make not only because it is aw-aw-awesome but also because it reminds me of how far I have come since I really started cooking. Which, frankly, wasn't until about 2000, when I got married -- and realized that if I didn't step up and do the cooking, we'd be eating non-stop takeout Chinese from the Busy Bee, which was Mr. Ninj's favorite (in fact, he just refers to all Chinese restaurants now as "The Busy Bee").

So I was still a bit of a novice cook when I first undertook this recipe in 2003. In fact, I remember freaking out because it meant I had to use three burners, all at the same time. Gaaah! "But I only have two hands to stir!!!!!!!!"

Heh. Times have changed. But my love for this creamy pumpkin Gorgonzola pasta has not. It's wonderfully rich and cheesy, yet a lot lower in fat and calories than you might expect. For me, it's classic fall comfort food. And when it's a classic, you never get tired of the same old thing.

Unless it's a freakin' pumpkin spice latte.

Hearty but light pasta with a creamy pumpkin gorgonzola cheese sauce

Pumpkin Gorgonzola Pasta

(adapted from Cooking Light)


Ingredients:
1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 sweet onions, halved and then sliced vertically
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped sage
1 12-ounce can light evaporated milk
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
3 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. While it's cooking, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan (here comes burner #3!), combine the sage and milk and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk together the cornstarch and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons water in a small bowl, then whisk it into the milk mixture, along with the Gorgonzola cheese, and cook the whole mixture 2-3 minutes, until thick and smooth (be sure to stir constantly). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pumpkin, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Add the sauce and the mushroom mixture to the drained pasta and stir gently to combine.

www.yankeekitchenninja.com
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21 comments:

  1. I am SO SO in love with pumpkin and pasta together! Your photos are stunning, Julianne!

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    1. { blushing } Why thank you, Bec -- you're too kind! Hope you enjoy the pasta.

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  2. I admire your restraint and sticking to you standards. I'm a big fan of Gorganzola cheese so this "pumpkin" recipe gets promoted to the top of the list. I guess you prefer cake to pie, right ? Keep up the good work and thanks for all the new eats you've help bring to our table.

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    1. Cake trumps pie any day, Jeff. :-) Thanks for being such a loyal reader these past 4 years!!

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  3. Don't you love favorite recipes like that. Recipes that you can turn to year after year!

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    1. Especially once you're comfortable with 3 burners at once. ;-)

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  4. I'm on a mission to find more non-dessert recipes our household will eat. The big winners so far are pumpkin in ravioli, pumpkin mixed into pasta dough, and pumpkin in lentil soup. Once in a long while, we'll make a chicken-broth based cream-of-pumpkin soup.

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    1. If your family digs pumpkin ravioli, they'll be cray cray for this one.

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  5. Sage with Gorgonzola?? No wonder you've been making it for a decade or so. What an awesome combination.

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    1. Thanks, girl -- you won't be sorry if you give it a try!

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  6. If it makes you feel better I haven't published a pumpkin recipe yet! Some squash yes but not pumpkin! This sounds absolutely fabulous though, what a great vegetarian dinner and I understand why you've been making it for so long.

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    1. Yay for all of us that don't overdo pumpkin too soon, Susan!

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  7. Did I just read gorgonzola pumpkin cream sauce? Say what!?! Also, now that you've officially opened up pumpkin season, the internets are going to be loaded with pumpkin recipes. I blame you for that! Also also, I'm picturing you standing in the candle store sniffing a kale-scented candle. Although, it would be your luck that the kale candle would be right next to the "Fresh Pie Crust" candle. :-)

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    1. OMG, David, you had me laughing SO HARD! I accept responsibility for all the pumpkin recipes -- will that dramatically increase my traffic? ;-) And the ONLY way I could tolerate that pie candle would be if it was next to the kale candle. Or BACON candle. :-)

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  8. Hello Julianne! We had sent you an inquiry for collaboration on July 21 but did not receive any reply from you. So we have sent it again since it might have gone to your spam box. We would greatly appreciate if you get back to us and tell us what you think about our offer. Thanks!

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  9. Hahahahaha, you had me laughing all the way through this post. Kale flavored candle? Hmmm, not sure about that one! But this pasta... holy crap it sounds amazing! Pinning the heck out of it!

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    1. Aw, thanks for the pin love, Chris! Glad I could make you laugh, too.

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  10. Just wondering if you are talking about a 15oz can of pumpkin. I am so excited to be making this for my fiance tonight!!!! Thank you so much for this recipe! :)

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    1. Yes, you will need canned pumpkin, but the size of the can doesn't matter as you will only need 1/2 cup. Let me know if you enjoy the pasta!

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    2. It was AMAZING!!! Enjoyed leftovers for lunch today. Thank you so much for such an easy and delicious recipe! :)

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    3. Whoo hoo! I'm so glad you liked it -- thanks for the feedback!

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