Noodles in a Pumpkin Sauce with Roasted Fall Veggies

You would think these roasted veggies were the main attraction on this plate but the creamy pumpkin noodles stole the show!

Ingredients:

2 cups eggplant, cubed and unpeeled if young and tender

1 1/2 cups acorn squash, cubed (1/2 the squash)

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 cup diced onion

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 cup mashed pumpkin

1 cup tomato sauce

salt and pepper

2 tbsps olive oil

1 cup reserved pasta water

375 g (13 oz) egg noodles

If you haven't already got cooked pumpkin for the sauce check out how easy it is to do here:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/10/pumpkin-puree.html 

Then set aside your mashed pumpkin until later.

Cube the acorn squash and you can leave a little of the peel on if you want. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet at 450°F for 20 minutes. (It won't be done yet)

Toss the cubed eggplant, cherry tomatoes and sliced onion with 2 tbsps olive oil, salt and pepper. (Note: If you have a big old eggplant you might want to salt it and let stand 30-60 minutes to draw the bitterness out) Push the squash to one end of the baking pan and spread the rest of the veggies out. Return to the oven for another 25-30 minutes checking on the acorn squash to make sure it doesn't over cook.

While this cooks combine the pumpkin, tomato sauce and 2 tbsps olive oil in a saucepan and heat up. Taste to see if it needs salt and pepper (lots of pepper!). Cook the egg noodles towards the end of the veggie roasting time and remove 1 cup of pasta water to add to the sauce. This will help it cling to the noodles.

Once everything is tender and a little charred here and there toss the vegetables together.

Drain the noodles and stir the sauce in to coat them well. Plate with a good serving of roasted fall veggies on top. And parmesan if you like.

Serves 4

Check out this Braided Fresh Pumpkin Bread recipe:  https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2020/10/braided-fresh-pumpkin-bread.html