Hey Pasta Friends! Have we got a treat for you! To really want to get into the Fall Spirit you’re going to need a pasta dish that involves Fall ingredients. What better than butternut squash? When the air gets cool and your appetite grows …here’s a pasta dish to satisfy that craving. Read along …
INGREDIENTS:
2 T Extra Vergin Olive Oil Plus 1/4 C for roasting the vegetables
4 oz pancetta, chopped
1/4 C white wine to deglaze
1 Tbs fresh sage, chopped ~ plus a Sprig for roasting
3 cups of diced pumpkin kabocha or butternut
1 shallot or small onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups light broth, vegetable or chicken
1 LB of fresh pasta (Pasta Press Brand for the full experience)
4 T Cream cheese
Pecorino Cheese and Pepper for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Roast the pumpkin (or butternut) at 350F with the olive oil and a bundle of sage for about 40 min. Until the edges are a little crisp, golden, and the sage is hard and fried. Remove from the oven, reserve the sage on a paper napkin. Set aside.
- Meantime, cook the pancetta and the 2 Tbs of olive oil, until fragrant. Add the chopped sage and keep cooking. Deglaze with wine if available.
- Set aside half of the pancetta for later use as a garnish over the finished dish.
- Add the cooked butternut squash to the pancetta left in the pan. Also add the minced scallion or onion and the garlic. Cook until fragrant. When the sauce starts to stick, add the broth and keep cooking.
- Remove the noodles from the pot with water and transfer them into the one with the butternut squash sauce.
- Taste for salt and pepper. Build a strong flavor before adding the fat.
- Keep cooking stirring until the pasta is fully coated and creamy. Add the cream cheese and stir until it is all melted and has coated the noodles.
- Serve topped with the crisp pancetta and the Pecorino. Top with the fried sage.
Stop drooling, start cooking! You’re welcome. Buon appetito!