Description
A rich and creamy Brown Butter Pumpkin Alla Vodka Tortellini featuring a luscious pumpkin vodka sauce, crispy sage, and parmesan cheese. This comforting pasta dish combines the warmth of browned butter and fragrant sage with a slightly spicy and creamy tomato-pumpkin vodka sauce, perfect for fall or any cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Brown Butter and Sage
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 8 fresh sage leaves
Sauce
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ cup vodka
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp salted butter (additional, for sauce)
Pasta
- 1 lb cheese tortellini
Instructions
- Brown the butter and crisp the sage: In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat together with the fresh sage leaves. Cook while stirring occasionally until the butter browns and the sage leaves become crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove the sage leaves from the butter and set them aside on a paper towel.
- Sauté shallots and aromatics: Add the extra virgin olive oil, chopped shallot, garlic, and dried oregano to the same skillet. Cook over medium heat until the shallots begin to caramelize, approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
- Add tomato paste, pumpkin, and spices: Lower the heat to low and stir in the tomato paste, pumpkin puree, and crushed red pepper flakes. Let the mixture cook and thicken for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend flavors and prevent sticking.
- Incorporate vodka: Pour in the vodka and cook the sauce for another 2 minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook off and the flavors to meld.
- Finish the sauce: Stir in the heavy cream (or coconut milk), the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, and grated parmesan cheese. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Keep the sauce warm over low heat while preparing the pasta.
- Cook tortellini: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the cheese tortellini and cook according to package instructions until they are al dente, usually about 3-5 minutes. Just before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the tortellini.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the drained tortellini to the vodka pumpkin sauce in the skillet. Toss gently to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out using some reserved pasta cooking water, adding a few tablespoons at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Serve: Divide the coated tortellini among serving plates. Garnish each serving with the crispy sage leaves and an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy your comforting, flavorful meal.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with canned coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to control the spice level.
- Be careful not to overcook tortellini; al dente texture ensures the best bite combined with the sauce.
- Reserving pasta water helps to perfect the sauce consistency and ensures it coats the pasta well.
- The vodka helps balance acidity and enriches the sauce but cooks off significantly during simmering.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximate)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
