Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, separated
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
4 to 6 sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating
Pumpernickel or whole-grain bread, as an accompaniment
Directions
Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and brown the sausage in it. Transfer the sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate. Drain the fat from the skillet, and return the pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and then the garlic and onion. Saut/N 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender. Add the bay leaf, the sage and the wine to the pan. Reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and the pumpkin, and stir to combine, stirring the sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return the sausage to the pan, reduce the heat, and stir inthe cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Return the drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce, and pour the sausage-pumpkin sauce over the pasta. Cook over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with grated cheese and sage leaves, and pass the bread at the table.
