Whole Grain Pasta with Pumpkin, Kale, & Sundried Tomatoes

I think this just might be my new favorite pasta recipe. It's just perfect for this time of year, when the weather is chilly, and every day seems more busy and hectic than the one before. It's the perfect meal to tuck in to after one of 'those' days. Open a bottle of red wine, sit down next to the fire with a warm bowl of this baked pasta, and muster up the fortitude for another day.

Enjoy!!

Whole Grain Pasta with Pumpkin, Kale, & Sundried Tomatoes:

Yields 8 servings

1# gluten free penne ( I used Jovial brand)

1, 15 oz can pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling, use 100% pure packed pumpkin)

1 bunch black Kale, sliced into 1" ribbons

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, finely chopped

2 TB buttermilk (or cream, sour cream, plain yogurt, creme fraiche...)

1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1/4 cup Pecorino cheese, grated

2 oz Chevre

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp red chile flakes

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.

2) While the pasta is cooking, chop the kale. To soften the kale ever so slightly, I tossed it in a large bowl with about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. The heat from the water will wilt the kale while adding some starch to your sauce. In the same bowl as the kale, stir in the pumpkin, sundried tomatoes, stock, buttermilk, 2 TB grated Pecorino, salt, pepper, & red chile flakes. Mix around to combine all of the ingredients. Add the drained pasta and stir to completely coat the pasta. Lastly, stir in the chevre.

3) Pour the entire mixture into a 9" x 13" baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Pecorino cheese and the sliced almonds. Bake, uncovered, for about 40 minutes until the pasta is heated through and the top is golden brown and crunchy.