Pumpkin Rigatoni with Sausage and Mushrooms

Is it three years too late for a confession?

I started cooking seriously because of Rachael Ray.

Cue sound of all readers leaving.

As a kid, I learned how to follow recipes from my mom. In the beginning of my adult life, I applied that skill to recipes on the bag of Lipton Noodles and Sauce and the box Rice-A-Roni. I knew how to put raw ingredients together too, but when I got home from working and wanted a quick meal, I always turned to prepackaged food.

I don’t remember how it started, but sometime in this period I started watching 30 Minute Meals on the Food Network. I remember it was on at 6 and 6:30, so I would catch an episode or two right when I got home for work. It was taking me 30 minutes to make dinner from a box, so it was pretty intriguing to watch someone make a meal in the same time from fresh ingredients. I’ll be the first to admit that nothing she was cooking was earth-shattering, but she did introduce me to one of the big ideas that informs most of my cooking: Everyday food doesn’t have to be bland.

I work at a job that frequently extends beyond the boundaries of 9-to-5, which means I usually arrive home tired and really hungry. One of the cookbooks I pull out most frequently when I need inspiration for a basic meal is my old, beat-up copy of Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats. Like the show, it isn’t breaking new culinary ground. Instead, it teaches you how to turn fresh ingredients into easy dinners that aren’t boring and explore a variety of tastes, from classic Italian to Cajun to Indian to Mediterranean. I recommend it for any beginning cook, or anyone who wants to stop eating out of a box, like I did. This book is quite literally where I got my start in the kitchen (except Sausage Yummies. Those predate the book.)

This pasta is one of my favorites from this book, combining three of my favorite things: squash, pasta and mushrooms. It’s incredibly hearty and the recipe yields a giant pile, making it perfect for a cold winter evening in a cozy house with friends. It also reheats beautifully, so I like to make it early in the week and then enjoy it for lunch. Fellow cube farm dwellers = jealous.

Pumpkin Rigatoni with Sausage and Mushrooms
Adapted from Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

The original recipe calls for a can of pumpkin puree instead of fresh pumpkin, but I prefer to roast and mash the squash at home. I think the roasted flavor combines beautifully with the hearty sausage and earthy mushrooms. Of course, roasting the pumpkin yourself means it’s not a 30 minute meal anymore. That said, you can always use the roasting time to chop everything.

Extra virgin olive oil
One average-size pie pumpkin or smallish butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out
1 pound sweet Italian* sausage, casings removed
1/4 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
1/2 – 3/4 pound cremini or portabella mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or several grates fresh
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3-4 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced, or 2 teaspoons ground sage
1/2 pound baby spinach leaves
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1/2 cup grated romano cheese plus more for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Drizzle the cut sides of the pumpkin with olive oil and place them face down on a cookie sheet. Roast until squash is entirely cooked through and sides begin to collapse, 30 – 45 minutes. Let cool until you can handle the pumpkin well enough to scoop out and mash the flesh until it has a uniform consistency.

Partway through the roasting time, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously and cook the rigatoni until al dente. Drain the pasta and keep warm.

Once you’ve set the pot on to boil, start the rest of the dish. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the Italian sausage. Brown the sausage, all the while crumbling it with the edge of a wooden spoon, cooking for 5-6 minutes or until the sausage is mostly cooked through. Then, scoot the sausage to one side of the pan and add the mushrooms, garlic and onions to the other side of the pan. Cook until the mushrooms brown, then season with salt and pepper. Combine the sausage and vegetables. Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the chicken stock and heat until it begins to bubble, just a minute or two. Add the pumpkin and stir to incorporate; it will be thck. Stir in the cream, nutmeg, cinnamon and sage, and heat just to the edge of bubbling. Reduce the heat to low and season liberally with salt and pepper, then add the baby spinach in a few batches, stirring each batch until wilted before adding the next batch. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, followed by the cheese. Serve with shaved pecorino romano to garnish.

*I’ve also tried this with salt-and-pepper sausage and breakfast sausage. Sweet Italian is definitely the best.

Tagged as: mushrooms, pasta, pumpkin, sausage, spinach, squash, winter