Vegetables Squash + Gourds Pumpkin Spicy Cheddar and Pumpkin Orzo with Arugula 2 Reviews Orzo plays a very comforting role in this dish, soaking up a savory pumpkin and spicy cheddar cheese sauce. Tossing in fresh peppery greens to this just before serving adds a pop of color and great texture to this warm pasta salad. Slideshow: More Pumpkin Recipes By Sarah Bolla Sarah Bolla F&W Digital Food Awards Winner Website Lemon Fire Brigade Profile A trained chef, Sarah Bolla now focuses on food styling, but she still finds inspiration at restaurants. For example, a dish at a Peruvian café in Del Mar, California, resulted in her black sesame–dusted chard empanadas. She also checks out the plated dishes on chefs' Twitter feeds. "I'm constantly taking screen shots of composed dishes from chefs around the world," she says. Currently, she is obsessed with earthy, raw, organic pottery and stone. "We all want our plates to look like Noma's," she says. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 11, 2015 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Sarah Bolla Total Time: 25 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 1 1/2 cups dry orzo 1 cup pasta water 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating pasta 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 3/4 cup pumpkin purée 1 1/2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 4 ounces grated Cheddar cheese 4 cups arugula leaves 2 tablespoons pepita seeds Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling Directions In a large saucepot of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Transfer the orzo to a large bowl, coat lightly with olive oil and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until softened and lightly browned. Add the pumpkin puree, chili garlic sauce, mustard, nutmeg, and salt and stir to combine. Pour in the reserved pasta water and simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the grated cheddar to the sauce, stirring until evenly incorporated and melted, about 3 minutes. Pour the pumpkin-cheddar sauce over the bowl of orzo and fold it in gently to combine. Toss in the arugula leaves and pepita seeds. Transfer the pasta to plates, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and serve warm. Rate it Print