Pumpkin Alfredo Cannelloni

I saw this recipe recently in my new Pillsbury Halloween cooking magazine.  I knew I had to try it.  It was easy to do and super yummy.  I'm always looking for a new way to eat pumpkin  and this was perfect on a cool fall evening.  

Click here for printable recipe.

Post by: Jen

Ingredients:

1 box cannelloni pasta tubes (or jumbo shells or manicotti shells)
1 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, divided
1 c pureed pumpkin ( not the pie mix)
1 c ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c milk                                               OR a jar of already made Alfredo sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 375.  Spray 9x13 baking pan.

If you need to cook your shells, then cook according the the package just until they are a little soft and almost al dente.  OR if you're lucky enough to find" no pre-bake" pasta, then use that because it's much easier to fill.

In a bowl mix the pumpkin, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, the egg, the sage and onion, and salt and pepper.

Mix together until well blended.

Meanwhile, prepare your Alfredo white sauce (unless you have the already made sauce then skip this part).

For a more detailed description of making a white sauce, then check out the white sauce/cheese sauce tutorial here.

Melt the butter in a nonstick pan.  Sprinkle on the flour.

Stir the flour and butter together so that no lumps are there.

Add the milk and keep whisking until there are no lumps.   This is actually easier if your milk is hot.  Add the remaining Parmesan cheese and the garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Stir and heat through.  Feel free to add more Parmesan or garlic to taste.   When done, take about 3/4 c of sauce and spread it on the bottom of your baking pan.

Scoop the pumpkin mixture into a baggie (NOT a sandwich baggie but something stronger)

Snip a 1/2 inch hole in one of the corners of the bag.  Take your pasta tube or shell and fill it up with the pumpkin mixture by piping the pumpkin through the hole of the bag into the pasta.

Lay your filled pasta over the sauce in the pan.

Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more.

Serve immediately while hot.

Recipe (mostly) from : Pillsbury Halloween magazine