Baked Ziti with Sausage and Pumpkin Tomato Sauce

Comforting baked ziti gets a fall twist thanks to the addition of canned pumpkin.
The winter squash pairs beautifully with fire-roasted tomatoes and sweet Italian sausage.
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Bake Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 5 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
8 1/2 cups

Ingredients
8 ounce dried ziti or rigatoni pasta
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 15 ounce can pumpkin
1 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet cook sausage over medium until cooked through, stirring to break up sausage as it cooks. Remove from skillet.

Add oil to skillet. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir over medium 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Carefully add wine to skillet. Cook 2 minutes or until evaporated. Stir in cream and simmer 1 minute more. Stir in pumpkin, tomatoes, broth, parsley, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add sauce to pasta in pot. Stir in sausage and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Season to taste with additional salt and crushed red pepper. Transfer to a 2-qt. rectangular baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned on top. Sprinkle with additional parsley, if desired.