This creamy, slightly smoky pasta dish is a filling treat on cool evenings. A pasta shape with lots of nooks and crannies will best transport all that sweet potato goodness to your mouth. Add a simple mesclun salad tossed with a light vinaigrette and pour either a Riesling or Zinfandel. Salute!

Ingredient list for 2 servings

• 1 sweet potato (12 - 16 ounces)
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion - chopped
• 2 cloves garlic - chopped
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup grated cheese (Romano or Parmesan)
• ½ pound Italian pasta (Creste de Gallo or Rotini)

• Prick the well-scrubbed sweet potato a few times with a fork and microwave until soft, for 6-7 minutes. (Optionally, bake the sweet potato in the oven at 425°F for about 50-60 minutes). When it’s cool enough to handle, peel it and scoop out the flesh.
• Cook pasta according to package directions in a salted pot of water.
• While the pasta is boiling, in a medium-size pan over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, stir and let cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute longer.
• Add the sweet potato, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, and combine well with an immersion blender for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
• When the pasta is al dente, drain [reserving 1 cup of cooking water]; add to the sauce and toss to combine, stirring until sauce sticks well to the pasta. Add reserved cooking water as needed and thin sauce to the consistency of yogurt.
• Serve your creamy pasta topped with grated cheese.

Note: You can put the sauce into a sealed jar and store it in the fridge if you want to serve it later. It will last for up to 5 days in the fridge, or you can freeze for even longer.