Pumpkin Thyme Pasta

I've already mentioned a time or two...how much I LOVE this time of year. If I ever needed any help in getting motivated to cook (and write and photograph all the things that I'm cooking) all I needed was fall to come around. This next recipe really embodies everything about the fall, especially because the centerpiece of the dish is pumpkin, and I don't know about you, but whoever doesn't associate fall and Halloween and Thanksgiving with that plump little rotund and tasty squash, pumpkin (even the name eeks of cuteness), is a little off their knocker if you ask me.

Whenever I think of pumpkin, I automatically think sweet...pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip brownies...my mom makes and AWESOME pumpkin cheesecake, but Surprise! Surprise! as I get older and reach the ripe old age of 30 (gasp!), I'm less interested in the sweet and more interested in the savory (see what I did there...ha! I'm so clever).

Anyways...I was on a mission to find a savory pumpkin recipe to use up the leftover pumpkin  I had from making these little delicious morsels, and I found the PERFECT one. This Pumpkin Thyme Pasta from 101 Cookbook  is delicious! The original recipe called for Rosemary, and I didn't have fresh Rosemary on hand...so I substituted Thyme, and it worked WONDERFULLY. It's the perfect savory pumpkin recipe I was searching for, not to mention the most perfect, comfort food and fall recipe.

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did...Oh, and since it is the eve of Thanksgiving, I hope you all enjoy a very Happy Thanksgiving surrounded by friends and family and all those that you love!

Pumpkin Thyme Pasta

12 ounces penne
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh Thyme
1 can pumpkin puree
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup reserved pasta water
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish (optional)

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.

In pasta pot, heat oil over medium. Add thyme and fry, stirring, until starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rosemary to a paper towel, leaving oil in pot.

Carefully add pumpkin puree, garlic, half-and-half, Parmesan, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and 1 cup reserved pasta water to pot. Stir sauce until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add pasta to sauce, and toss to coat.  Serve pasta sprinkled with fried thyme and, if desired, more red-pepper flakes and parmesan (I'm all about the cheese!)