Comfort food PUMPKINIZED! 🎃 Step into fall with this indulgent, creamy pumpkin vodka sawce. Inspired by our lord and savior, Dan Pelosi. See how it’s made here.

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. butter, divided

• ½ cup olive oil

• ½ tsp. nutmeg

• red pepper flakes

• 3 garlic cloves, grated

• 4 tbsp. tomato paste

• ¾ cup pumpkin puree

• 1 lb. rigatoni

• 1 pint heavy cream

• 6 tbsp. vodka

• handful of sage leaves

• fresh parmesan

• salt
  

Make it!

1. Heat a pot of salted water to boil. 

2. Set a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp. butter, olive oil, red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt and nutmeg. Whisk until combined and all butter has melted. Add tomato paste, garlic and pumpkin puree, whisk for 3 minutes until color darkens a shade.

3. Add rigatoni to boiling water and cook to al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water and drain. Set noodles aside.

4. As the pasta goes into the water, add your heavy cream to the tomato pumpkin mixture. Cook for 5 minutes until color deepens, whisking frequently. Add vodka and whisk until the alcohol has cooked out, about 5 minutes. Add ½ cup reserved pasta water, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until sauce is thick and gorgeous. Add more pasta water if it becomes too thick.

5. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tbsp. butter over medium. Stir until the butter begins to brown and smells nutty. Turn off heat and add your sage leaves. They will sizzle and frizzle over the course of a minute or two. 

6. Once the sauce is nice and thick, add your pasta in and stir until all noodles are coated. Serve and top with frizzled sage and parmesan. 
   

Note: This pasta is tricky to reheat. Save that extra pasta water and slowly stream in ½ cup as you reheat in a dutch oven.