My Sweet Horde

flowers, food, and furry little animals
Mon Oct 26
This is adapted from a recipe in the January 2009 issue of Cook’s Illustrated. It is really very good.  You should try it.  Seriously.  DO it. Butternut Squash & Sage Pasta Ingredients 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil 8 - 10 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tablespoon minced 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 6 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup) ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 teaspoon sugar Table salt and ground black pepper 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1 pound penne pasta or other short, tubular pasta 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese, plus extra for serving 4 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon ⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted Instructions 1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add whole sage leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Remove sage and set aside.2. Turn burner up to high and heat until the oil is shimmering. Add squash in even layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Add butter and allow to melt, about 30 seconds. Add scallions, nutmeg, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and minced sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are softened (about 3 minutes). Add broth (I didn’t use quite all of the 2 cups) and bring to simmer; continue to cook until squash is tender, 1 to 3 minutes longer.3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving ½ cup cooking water, and transfer back to Dutch oven.4. Add squash mixture to pasta; stir in 2 tablespoons Romano cheese, lemon juice, and reserved sage, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta liquid. Garnish with toasted almonds and more Romano.

This is adapted from a recipe in the January 2009 issue of Cook’s Illustrated.

It is really very good.  You should try it.  Seriously.  DO it.

Butternut Squash & Sage Pasta

Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 8 - 10 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tablespoon minced
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Table salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 pound penne pasta or other short, tubular pasta
  • 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese, plus extra for serving
  • 4 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
  • ⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions

1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add whole sage leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Remove sage and set aside.
2. Turn burner up to high and heat until the oil is shimmering. Add squash in even layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Add butter and allow to melt, about 30 seconds. Add scallions, nutmeg, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and minced sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are softened (about 3 minutes). Add broth (I didn’t use quite all of the 2 cups) and bring to simmer; continue to cook until squash is tender, 1 to 3 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving ½ cup cooking water, and transfer back to Dutch oven.
4. Add squash mixture to pasta; stir in 2 tablespoons Romano cheese, lemon juice, and reserved sage, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta liquid. Garnish with toasted almonds and more Romano.