Creamy Pumpkin & Sage Emmer Pappardelle

Fresh-milled emmer makes broad, nutty noodles that stand up beautifully to pumpkin, browned butter, and sage. The dough is firm enough to roll cleanly but gets its tenderness from eggs and a short rest.

Ingredients

Emmer pappardelle

• 300 g fresh-milled emmer flour, sifted once if very coarse
• 150 g beaten egg (about 3 large eggs)
• 10–25 g water, only as needed
• 3 g fine salt

Pumpkin-sage sauce

• 30 g unsalted butter
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 340 g pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
• 180 g heavy cream
• 80 g finely grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp fine salt, plus pasta-water salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 15 g lemon juice
• 45 g toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Method

1. Mound the emmer flour on a board or place it in a wide bowl. Make a well; add eggs and salt. Work inward with a fork, then knead 5–7 minutes. Add only enough water to make a firm, cohesive dough.
2. Wrap the dough and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Divide into four pieces, keeping the others covered.
3. Roll each piece with a pasta machine or rolling pin to about 1 mm thick. Dust lightly with emmer flour, fold loosely, and cut into ¾-inch-wide ribbons. Unfurl and set aside.
4. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sage and cook until crisp, 60–90 seconds. Transfer half the leaves to a plate.
5. Add garlic to the skillet and cook 30 seconds. Stir in pumpkin, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently 4–5 minutes.
6. Cook fresh pasta 2–4 minutes, until tender with a slight bite. Reserve 240 g pasta water, then drain.
7. Lower the sauce heat. Stir in Parmesan and lemon juice, then toss with pasta. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until glossy and loose enough to coat the ribbons.
8. Serve immediately with the reserved crisp sage, toasted hazelnuts, extra Parmesan, and black pepper.

Make it well

The sauce may be made one day ahead and reheated gently. Fresh noodles can be refrigerated, well dusted and loosely covered, for up to 12 hours. Once sauced, this dish is best served at once.

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