Pumpkin Pasta

This pasta casserole is full of delicious fall flavors.  It has been part of my freezer repertoire for many years and led to my purchase of the titular very large bowl of this blog.  I was trying to make a large batch of this and while it all technically fit in my largest bowl at the time, the bowl was so full that I couldn't stir effectively.  It took forever to mix that batch and made a large mess. Afterwards I got online and purchased my 30 quart bowl that I use for my freezer cooking now.

Adapted from: Veganomicon
Difficulty: Moderate
Category: Heat and Eat
Recipe Column: AM




Pasta

12 oz penne pasta (whole wheat and white fiber both work well)
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch ground pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
15 oz can pumpkin puree
1/4 vegetable broth

Topping

1 1/4 cup bread crumbs (I prefer Panko)
1/6 cup walnut pieces, chopped in food processor until they resemble crumbs
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
sprinkle of salt and pepper

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven.  Add the sliced onions and saute, stirring regularly, until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Transfer the onions to a large bowl.
2. Wipe the Dutch oven out and fill with water.  Bring the water to a boil and add the pasta.  Cook the pasta until it is not quite done.  Drain.
3. Combine the ricotta cheese, brown sugar, nutmeg, pepper, cayenne, pumpkin puree and vegetable broth with the browned onions.  Add the pasta and combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. To make the topping melt the butter in the Dutch oven you used to cook the pasta.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir constantly until lightly toasted, about 3 to 4 minutes.

To freeze:

There are two ways you can freeze this.  One is you can divide the pasta into the desired number of pans, sprinkle them with the bread crumbs, wrap with plastic wrap and freeze.  Or to save space in your freezer and pans you can divide the pasta into containers or bags and divide the topping into an equal number of smaller containers or bags and freeze the two separately.

To serve:

Thaw the pans or two containers in the refrigerator overnight.  If you froze the topping and pasta separately, transfer to the pasta to a pan and sprinkle the breadcrumb topping over it.  Either way cover the pan with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until hot in the center.  Remove the foil towards the end of baking to allow the topping to crisp. 

I classify this as a heat and heat because it is complete meal itself containing vegetables and protein. Sometimes we just eat this by itself.   However if you have the time and inclination, a salad of crisp greens with pears, apples, dried cranberries, toasted nuts and balsamic vinegar makes delicious compliment to the meal that enhances the fall flavors.