Roasted Pumpkin Penne with Autumn Pesto

I found this recipe on Rachael Ray’s website today. Looks like a perfect vegetarian dish for Fall!

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated or minced
2 cloves garlic, grated or mashed into paste with salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup baby spinach or farm-bundled spinach, packed
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, packed
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 – 1 3/4-pound sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 pound whole wheat penne or semolina penne rigate
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Lightly salted, toasted pumpkin seeds, available in bulk foods section, optional

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Place parsley, spinach, ginger, garlic, nuts, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper in food processor and turn processor on. Stream about 1/3 cup EVOO into processor to form a pesto sauce.

Drizzle the pumpkin cubes with 2 tablespoons EVOO and season with salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg. Roast 15 minutes, turn the cubes over and roast 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, bring water to boil for pasta, salt it and cook to al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy water just before draining. Drain pasta, return to hot pot, add reserved water and pesto, and toss to coat. Gently mix in the roasted pumpkin cubes and serve topped with lots of cheese and some pumpkin seeds, if desired.