This past fall, we had some small "pie-sized" pumpkins to make fresh pumpkin puree for pies. But time flew and we didn't have time to puree the pumpkins OR make the pie (you know how crazy back to school can be!?). So before the pumpkins began to rot, we simply roasted the pumpkin flesh with light olive oil in the oven, then peeled the skin off. We cut them up in quarters and stored the pumpkin flesh in the freezer.

Fast forward to spring, and when our budget was tight for groceries last week, I decided to defrost some of the pumpkin for an easy pasta dinner! Once defrosted I pureed it in the food processor until smooth. You can drain off some of the water if there is any, or cook some of the water out of it if you want it thicker-like canned pumpkin. I didn't have a lot of moisture in mine, so I used the puree straight and it was lighter and fresher than canned. You can use canned in this recipe if you wish, it will look darker than what's in the picture above, and probably a more intense pumpkin flavor.

The pasta has a great balance of fresh, bitter greens and a creamy nutty flavor. It's was a cheap, quick dinner on a busy Saturday.


Pumpkin Arugula and Sage Pasta

Ingredients

1/2 lb. whole wheat linguine, cooked according to package directions and drained

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until soft. Add the sage leaves and saute. Add the salt and the puree. Mix and cook the puree with the vegetables on medium-low heat for about 8 minutes.