Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

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• ½ each kabocha squash or small sugar pie pumpkin (to yield 1 heaping cup cooked mash)
  Ingredient note

  Source: ½ kabocha squash or small sugar pie pumpkin (to yield 1 heaping cup cooked mash)
• ½ each yellow onion (sliced into wedges)
  Ingredient note

  Source: ½ yellow onion (sliced into wedges)
• 2 each garlic cloves (unpeeled)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (more for drizzling)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (more for drizzling)
• 5 each large fresh sage leaves
  Ingredient note

  Source: 5 large fresh sage leaves
• ¾ cup vegetable broth
  Ingredient note

  Source: ¾ cup vegetable broth
• ½ cup raw unsalted cashews (soaked for 4 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed)
  Ingredient note

  Source: ½ cup raw unsalted cashews (soaked for 4 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed)
• 16 ounces uncooked penne pasta
  Ingredient note

  Source: 16 ounces uncooked penne pasta
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (more to taste)
  Ingredient note

  Source: ½ teaspoon sea salt (more to taste)
• As Needed black pepper
  Ingredient note

  Source seasoning: Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the pumpkin, onion, and garlic on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the pumpkin cut-side down and pierce a few holes in the skin with a fork. Cover with another sheet of foil and bake until the onion is soft and the pumpkin flesh is very tender, 35 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Add the sage to the pan during the last few minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, keeping everything covered, and let it continue to steam for another 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Pour the vegetable broth into a high-speed blender. Remove the skin and add the pumpkin flesh to the blender along with the onion, peeled garlic, sage, cashews, ½ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil and blend again. (If your sauce is not smooth and creamy, add a little more broth or olive oil and blend it longer).
4. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions or until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta.
5. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in half the sauce, adding more as needed to coat the pasta. Add the reserved pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, to thin the sauce and make it creamy. Add the remaining sauce as desired. Taste and season with more salt and pepper. Serve hot.