Pumpkin Turkey Ragu

1 pound asparagus

Extra virgin olive oil, throughout recipe

1 pound ground turkey

1 tablespoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon minced onion

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ yellow onion, diced

3 small carrots, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh basil

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh sage

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

½ cup passata or tomato puree

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup water

1 ½ teaspoons honey

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 pound gluten-free rigatoni

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Trim and rinse asparagus. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out and let cool enough to chop into half inch pieces. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy bottom pan over medium heat drizzle in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add in ground turkey, fennel seed, minced onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Break up turkey with the back of a wooden spoon and cook until the turkey is nicely browned and crumbly, about 7 minutes. Take out and set aside.

In the same pan add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and add in onion, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper. Sauté until onions have become translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Next add in parsley, basil, rosemary and sage. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Lastly stir in pumpkin puree, passata, heavy cream, water, honey and cinnamon. Combine and let simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.

* If you prefer a smoother ragu , now would be the time to utilize an immersion blender or food processor.

Finally, reintroduce turkey and asparagus back to pumpkin ragu. If you feel that the ragu is a bit thick, add water a ¼ cup at a time. While ragu is simmering, boil water for pasta. Once water is at a rolling boil add in a handful of salt and 1 pound of rigatoni. Cook to al dente, about 7-10 minutes for gluten-free pasta. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Place pasta back into pot and add one-tablespoon butter and sprinkle on ½ cup parmesan cheese, mix to combine. Transfer pasta into ragu and toss to combine. If ragu happens to be too thick drizzle in some pasta water.

Transfer pasta to a serving dish and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Enjoy!