Mac and Cheese with Pumpkin and Sage

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. In a medium saucepan, combine chicken stock and half-and-half and heat gently; keep warm.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a very large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low flame, then add the onion and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring occasionally, another 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in hot stock mixture and bring to a simmer to lightly thicken the liquid. Whisk in pumpkin puree and simmer very gently, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to lowest point and whisk in cheeses 1 cup at time, stirring well after each addition. Add salt and pepper to taste, plus additional sage if you like. (Watch the salt; you may not need any because of all the cheese.) Keep sauce warm.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain cooked pasta well and stir it into the sauce. If you plan to serve this immediately, keep it on lowest heat, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes longer, until pasta has absorbed some of the sauce.

To serve later, turn it out into a buttered baking dish and let cool. Reheat in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes. (Add additional chicken stock or cream if it’s too thick.) If desired, add more grated cheddar over the top during the last 10 minutes of baking.