VDP: Pumpkin Penne Pasta

I know it is past Thanksgiving, but since it is still Fall until December 21st, I think it's fair game to post this pumpkin recipe from a Virtual Dinner Party several weeks back.

I found this recipe for Pumpkin Penne Pasta a couple of years ago on the great blog The Culinary Couple, and it has become my favorite Fall recipe to make!  Not only that, this recipe is so good that it changed Juanita's mind about pumpkin flavors, too.

Another reason this was a momentous occasion is because it was the largest Virtual Dinner Party we've hosted yet: seven hosts/guests across three kitchens!  That's three pounds of pasta, and I can report that the few leftovers didn't last long.

The creamy pumpkin sauce is made with pumpkin puree, typical fall spices, sage, and spicy sausage, which give it a satisfyingly savory flavor compared to the sweetness you often associate with pumpkin (dessert) recipes.  The substitutions I usually make to the recipe are to use spicy Italian sausage instead of sweet, and to use just a bit of half-and-half instead of the recommended heavy cream.  It seems to be plenty creamy this way, and it's a bit healthier.  I'm sure you could even use Greek yogurt, which I often do in pasta to give it a creamy texture.

I think our dinner party lasted at least three hours (which is a long time to Google-hangout!), but all guests had a great time, and the meal turned out great in all locations.

Check out the full recipe here, and add it to your list for next fall (or make it this week--you still have eight days!)

And let me know if you'd like to be a guest at a future Virtual Dinner Party!