Super Pumpkin-y Beer Mac n Cheese

It's fall so I've been in the mood to make all things pumpkiny. I saw this recipe for pumpkin beer mac n cheese from The Fig Tree and thought it would be the perfect recipe to satisfy my culinary craving. We really love Rachael Ray's Pasta with Pumpkin and sausage, so I thought this would be a knock it out of the ball park grand slam.  The Fig Tree got this recipe from Rachael Ray as well, so considering they were created by the same kitchen, they're bound to be equally delicious.  Right?

Le sigh.  No such luck.  The beer made the dish taste super pumpkiny.  While I like cooking with pumpkin, I don't particularly like the taste of pumpkin, and neither does the rest of my family.  This may sound odd, but usually when you cook with pumpkin, you can't actually taste the squash. 

I pondered this recipe for several days after I made it. What was it that was so different from the other pumpkin pasta dish we liked so much?  Then it hit me.  This mac and cheese recipe uses a whole can, while the Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage only requires a cup.  My suggestion to you if you don't care for the taste of squash or pumpkin is to cut back the pumpkin to a cup.

P.S. With the leftovers, Mrblocko had the brilliant idea to add Salt Free Forward! from Penzey's Spices, and it totally saved the dish. The spices in that seasoning blend completely masked the pumpkin, without being over powering.  YAY!


Pumpkin Mac and Cheese via The Fig Tree
pound of short-cut pasta (I used a mix of cavatappi and gemeli)
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of flour; slightly rounded
1 cup of amber beer
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 cups of milk (skim works fine)
1/2 teaspoon of allspice
1 teaspoon of ground mustard
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1-14 ounce can of pure pumpkin purée (I recommend using half a can/7 oz)
2 and 1/2 cups of shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese; divided
sweet paprika for sprinkling (Or Forward! from Penzey's)

Pre-heat oven to 350'F. Cook pasta toal dente. Drain and set aside. Melt butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour ensuring no lumps develop; cook for 1 min. Raise heat a small bit and add beer. Whisk well to ensure no lumps form. Once beer has evaporated a bit (5 min), whisk in syrup and milk. Season with  allspice, mustard, cayenne and  nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow  to cook on med til sauce leaves a thick coat on back of a spoon (3 min). Whisk in pumpkin then stir in 2c  cheese. Mix til cheese melted. Combine pasta and sauce and arrange in a casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Dust tops lightly with paprika. Bake for 15 min and/or broil to allow the top to get brown and bubbly.

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sage via Food Network
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 T
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 T oil to pan. brown sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to stove. Add remaining Toil, and then garlic and onion. Saute 3-5 min til onions tender. Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to pan. Reduce wine by half, 2 min. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce til comes to bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season sauce with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer 5-10 min to thicken .Return drained pasta to pot you cooked it in. Remove bay leaf from sauce and pour sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low for 1 min. Garnish with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.