Pumpkin Cannelloni with Clams and Sage Brown Butter

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butterbutter
• 1 pound sugar pumpkin or other sweet winter squash such as butternut, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (3 cups)sugar
• 3/4 cup diced (1/4 inch) fennel bulb (sometimes called anise)
• 1/2 teaspoon saltsalt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepperpepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallotshallot
• 1/4 cup waterwater
• 4 (6- by 4-inch) fresh pasta rectangles
• 1 tablespoon olive oilolive-oil
• 2 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide stripsbacon
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced shallotshallot
• 1 garlic clove, mincedgarlic
• 20 small hard-shelled clams (2 pounds) such as littlenecks (less than 2 inches wide), scrubbed well
• 1/2 cup dry white winewhite-wine
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seedsfennel-seed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sagesage
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butterbutter
• 8 fresh sage leavessage
• 2 tablespoons minced shallotshallot
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juicelemon-juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsleyparsley

1. 01Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté squash and fennel with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add shallot and water and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Cool vegetables, then purée in a food processor until smooth and season with salt and pepper.
2. 02Preheat oven to 400°F.
3. 03Cook pasta sheets in a 4- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, 1 to 2 minutes, then immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to cool. Drain well, then pat sheets dry on paper towels and arrange in 1 layer in a well-oiled large shallow baking pan. Spoon 1/4 cup filling along 1 short end of a rectangle, then roll up filling in pasta. Make 3 more rolls in same manner and arrange, seam sides down, in baking pan. Drizzle cannelloni with oil.
4. 04Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fat is rendered but bacon is not yet crisp, about 5 minutes. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add clams, wine, fennel seeds, and sage and cook, covered, until clams are fully open, 6 to 10 minutes, checking every minute after 6 minutes and removing clams as they fully open. (Discard any clams that have not opened after 10 minutes.)
5. 05While clams are cooking, bake cannelloni in middle of oven until heated through, 6 to 8 minutes.

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