Heavy tablecloths, thick blankets and a roaring fire are on the mood board for this chapter’s theme, Pelosi said. This creamy, thick sauce is inspired by a similar recipe he enjoyed as a teen at The County Seat in downtown Litchfield, Connecticut, now closed, which was about a 30-minute drive from his childhood home.
“This very dish might be the origin of my obsession with pumpkin spice,” Pelosi recalled in his book. “I had to make my own version of this to process. This smooth pumpkin sauce builds layers of flavor with garlic, thyme, and white wine, plus a little kick from red pepper flakes.”
Make ahead: The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
Serves 6 to 8
Total cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 20-ounce package cheese ravioli
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more as needed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring alarge pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion, garlic, thyme and a pinch each of salt and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes more.
- Transfer the mixture to a blenderand add the pumpkin puree and nutmeg. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture back into the Dutch oven. Stir in the heavy cream and set over low heat to keep warm.
- Add the ravioli and ¼ cup pasta cooking water and stir until the sauce is creamy and the ravioli are coated. Add a little bit more pasta cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper flakes or nutmeg as needed, then transfer the pasta to a serving platter or bowl. Sprinkle with plenty of Parmesan, thyme leaves and a few cracks of black pepper before serving.
