Fettuccine with a Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil, add enough salt to taste like the sea. Once boiling add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta water.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat cook the bacon until it has rendered its fat and is crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Add the leek, garlic and 1 tablespoon of sage to the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and continue cooking until almost all of the wine has evaporated. Add the pumpkin, heavy cream and the reserved cooking water to the pan and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce and toss well. Add the bacon, parmesan and sage and toss again. Serve immediately.