Pumpkin Pasta Sauce with Pici Pasta & Crispy Mushrooms

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce is a delicious comforting Fall recipe on a traditional Tuscan spaghetti Pici pasta flavored with honey brown butter, mascarpone cheese, pumpkin puree and topped with crispy oyster mushrooms or crumble pancetta, and seasoned at the end with smoked paprika sea salt. This is the most straightforward pumpkin pasta sauce recipe that you will ever make. If you like this recipe, why not be part of our newsletter community

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pack of Organic Spaghetti Toscani Pici
• 2 lb. mixed oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 peeled and thinly sliced garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or smoked chili flakes
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 Tablespoons Salted Honey Brown Butter
• 2 minced shallots
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup pasta water
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika sea salt
• Salt and black pepper
• Additional toppings: crispy crumble pancetta.

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Place: oven racks in bottom third and middle of oven and preheat to 350°F; Put a pot of water for your pasta on the stove to boil.
2. 2Toss: mushrooms, garlic, thyme, smoked chili flakes or red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast on bottom rack around 25 minutes, tossing halfway through until deeply golden brown and crisped. Check the oven after 15 minutes.
3. 3Cook: pasta according to package. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta water. Set aside.
4. 4Add: 2 Tablespoons salted honey brown butter in a skillet. Then add the shallots and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute until fragrant.
5. 5Add: pumpkin puree, mascarpone cheese and 1 cup of pasta water. If you want pasta sauce that is looser, add more pasta water until it reaches the consistency that you like.
6. 6Add: the parmesan cheese. Mix to combine.
7. 7Taste: and adjust salt & pepper if needed. I use smoked paprika sea salt.
8. 8Transfer: cooked pici pasta to the pan and toss to combine.
9. 9Serve: the pasta immediately and top with the crispy mushrooms or the crispy pancetta.