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Recipe Wed Oct 16 2013
Summertime Sadness, Soothed with Sauce
We're really starting to be able to see and feel the shift in the seasons. Though I do enjoy Fall, I can't exactly say that I'm happy that it's here. I think Lana Del Rey says it best: "I've got that summertime, summertime sadness." I know Fall has been here for about a month, but I'm just not ready. It's a slippery slope from all of this gloriously mild weather to those nasty February days. It has me in a funk.
It's hard to go from having all of the sunshine to having it only in the middle of the day. I'm in what I like to call my Fall Period of Adjustment. The seasons are changing and I am resistant. As we glide toward the end of Daylight Savings Time there isn't much that can get me to climb out of the couch or crawl to the kitchen.
At my house this means a sudden increase of plastic takeout containers. Last night I was determined to get it together. I stood in my local Jewel all googly eyed searching for inspiration. My seasonal depression (can I even call it that?) had me more interested in the 78 magazines on how to prepare the perfect Thanksgiving rather than getting us through dinner.
Don't laugh! I was finally pulled out of my funk by a canned pumpkin display. Unfortunately the plan wasn't to make pumpkin pie for dinner. I held on to a couple cans and walked around looking for inspiration. Then? I happened upon the pre-made pasta section. You guys. They have pre-made ravioli. Everybody loves ravioli but who has tine to make it. Four-cheese ravioli with pumpkin sauce! I am a lazy-genius.
Just know that if you see a crazy person wondering around your local Jewel with canned pumpkin it's probably me. Try this sauce; it's really great and a cinch to make.
INGREDIENTS
1 9-ounce package of Buitoni Ravioli (whatever flavor you prefer)
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and set aside. In pasta pot, heat oil over medium. Add rosemary 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 (oil is hot and will spatter) 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. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water. Season generously with salt. Serve pasta sprinkled with fried rosemary and, if desired, more red-pepper flakes.
