Serves four
- 2 quarts water, salted
- ½ lb. penné pasta
- 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 1 cup onion, sliced thinly
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces
- 2 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- Salt, black pepper to taste, fresh grated parmesan to garnish
Bring the water to a boil in large pasta pot. Add the pasta and stir to prevent from sticking. Boil for about 12 minutes or until just tender.
While pasta is boiling, heat a large sauté pan on medium-high heat.
Add olive oil, then the chicken. Cook, stirring for about 3 minutes until the chicken is almost cooked through.
Remove the chicken and reserve.
In the same pan over high heat, add onions and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the garlic and sage and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the pumpkin and about 1 cup of the boiling pasta water, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, just enough to tenderize the pumpkin.
Drain the pasta when cooked and add it to the sauté pan with the pumpkin. Finish the dish by stirring in the butter.
Season to taste with salt, black pepper and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Garnish if desired with toasted pumpkin seeds.
