Description
Spicy Korean gochujang meets creamy pumpkin in this quick and easy fall pasta.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces paccheri or rigatoni pasta
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta cooking water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup gochujang
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 ounces parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated, plus more for garnish (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
- cracked black pepper
Directions
- In a large saucepan or pot, cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking water.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a large high sided skillet over medium; add onion and salt, and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes, adding garlic during last minute of cooking.
- Add gochujang and tomato paste, and cook over medium, stirring constantly, until darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add vodka, and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan, until most of the alcohol has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in pumpkin and cream, bring to a simmer over medium, then add cooked pasta, cheese, 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is glossy and coats pasta, adding pasta cooking water 2 tablespoons at a time to reach desired consistency, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in fish sauce if using, and divide evenly between 4 bowls. Garnish with more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and cracked black pepper.
