Canned pumpkin perfect on your plate or your face

Much as many of us would like to cook with whole ingredients, sometimes it’s just not worth the bother.

Such is the case with pumpkin. Those sweet little sugar pumpkins seem like such ideal sources of “real” fall flavor.

But I know from experience, that once they’ve been cracked open, the seeds scooped out, the rind peeled off and the flesh roasted and pureed, that the texture and flavor still don’t meet expectations. At least the expectations cooks develop during such a lengthy process.

I’m not trying to discourage anyone from consuming the small pumpkins intended for that purpose, but most seasoned cooks agree that canned pumpkin puree produces identical — some would say preferable — results to puree obtained the hard way. It’s usually a question of texture. Real roasted pumpkin retains a stringiness that takes yet more labor to rectify.

So most of us this time of year turn to Libby’s canned pumpkin puree. The only rub, of course, when dealing with cans is that many recipes don’t use the whole thing, particularly the 29-ouncer. Despite my annual insistence that we only need one pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, my mom’s response is always, “The can makes two.” How to argue with that?

Instead of arguing, I’ve been looking for alternative ways to use up pumpkin. I was charmed by the resourceful Cox family of Medford who uses canned pumpkin puree as an all-natural facial mask, as featured in this month’s Healthy Living magazine. The mask itself is entirely edible, if you’re into baby-food textures.

Also an enthusiastic cook, 20-year-old Lauren Cox, the author of “EcoBeauty,” effortlessly blurs the line between food and cosmetics in her new book, which is chock-full of fun holiday gift ideas. “EcoBeauty” is available in major bookstores and online for $19.95.

If you’d rather eat your food than wear it, try this fast pasta recipe that combines pantry staples, including pumpkin puree, leftover or fresh out of the can. Yielding a creamy sauce with the aid of pumpkin rather than a lot of fat-filled dairy products, this dish comes together in 20 minutes.

Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

8 to 10 ounces multigrain angel-hair pasta

1 medium shallot

3 medium cloves garlic

2 sprigs sage leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup low-fat milk

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions (6 to 7 minutes).

Meanwhile, mince the shallot and garlic; finely chop the sage.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic; cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until they have softened. Add the pumpkin puree, chicken broth, milk and half of the sage. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste; keep warm on lowest setting.

Drain pasta and add to sauce, then add 2 tablespoons of the cheese and mix well. Divide among individual plates and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese and remaining sage. Serve with steamed broccoli.

Makes 4 servings.

— Recipe adapted from “The Ski House Cookbook,” by Tina Anderson and Sarah Pinneo.