Cozy up with this silky pumpkin pasta, adorned with crunchy toasted hazelnuts. It's a rich, autumnal dish that feels special yet simple enough for weeknights.
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1 pound orecchiette pasta
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup snipped chives
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 7 minutes, until golden. Let cool. Rub off most of the skins and roughly chop.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, and sage and cook over moderately low heat until the onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add the pumpkin puree and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Wipe out the pasta pot. Scrape the pumpkin mixture into the pot and cook over moderately low heat until hot. Mix in the mascarpone and the 1/4 cup of grated cheese. Add the pasta and the reserved cooking water and toss to coat thoroughly and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to bowls, sprinkle the hazelnuts and chives on top, and serve right away, passing additional Parmigiano at the table.
