ROTD: Tortellini & Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce

Its cold. And when it is as cold as it has been, there is nothing better than coming home to a warm house, filled with good food and great conversation. If you can’t find a bit of good conversation, don’t worry well help you at least supply the great meal to keep you from going stir crazy in that prison you call home.

Today is National Tortellini Day and we scooped up a recipe and gave it a bit of reworking to make it suitable for our readers who just don’t have all day to spend in the kitchen making an entire meal from scratch.

This recipe for Tortellini & Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce is quick, easy and delicious three things we really love around these parts.

Enjoy!

(click Read More for the Entire Recipe) 

Ingredients:

Kosher Salt

Two - 9oz packages of Cheese Tortellini

1 TBS unsalted Butter

1 small Shallot (diced fine)

½ cup canned Pure Pumpkin

Pinch of freshly grated Nutmeg

1 ½ cups Heavy Cream

¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese (plus more for topping)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Pinch of Smoked Paprika

Chopped fresh Parsley, (for garnish, optional)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.

Add the Tortellini and cook as the package instructs you to do.

Reserve a ½ cup of cooking water, then drain the rest from the Tortellini.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium / high heat.

Add the Shallot and cook, stirring constantly until slightly soft, 2-3 mins.

Add the Pumpkin, Nutmeg & Smoked Paprika and continue to cook, stirring for another 2 mins.

Stir in the cream and bring to a low boil.

Reduce the heat to medium / low and let simmer, stirring occasionally until it thickens slightly.

Stir in the cheese and cook until thick, about 1 – 2 mins max.

Season with Kosher Salt & Fresh Black Pepper.

Add the Tortellini into the skillet and toss with the sauce, adding some of the reserved cooking water to help loosed the mixture up if needed.

Divide among warmed bowls and top with more Cheese and Parsley (if you so desire.)