Pasta with Butternut Squash, Fried Sage, and Pine Nuts

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This is a repeat of a recipe I posted last year.  I made it again this week and it is as delicious as I remembered.  It is a bit labor-intensive but well worth the effort.  One hint: I cut the squash into quarters and eighths which made peeling it a lot easier. If you don't have a pan large enough for the final steps of the recipe, you can split it in half.  The pasta should 'pan-fry', not steam.  PS: Toast the pine nuts first!
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer



Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash
1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
1 pound farfalle pasta
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 ounces high quality Parmesan, shredded or shaved (about a cup total)

Directions:
Heat the oven to 375°.
Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the strings and seeds the middle cavity. Flip the squash halves upside down and peel them. (Note: The raw squash rind can irritate your hands. If they start to itch or tingle, wear gloves.) Cut the squash into 1-inch cubes.
Toss with the onion, garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Mince about half of the fresh sage leaves and also toss with the squash.
Spread the squash mixture in a thin layer on a large baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes or until the squash is soft.
Heat salted pasta water to boiling and cook the farfalle until al dente. Drain and set aside.
As the squash finishes roasting, heat about two tablespoons of olive oil in a large high-sided sauté pan. The oil is ready when it pops and sputters. (Don't let it start smoking.) Drop in the rest of the sage leaves and fry for about a minute, or until they begin to just shrivel up.
Remove with a slotted spoon and salt lightly. Crush with the back of a spoon.
Add half the pasta to the pan, along with half the roasted squash mixture. Crumble in half the sage. Cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes or until the pasta is heated through and getting crispy on some of the edges. Add the pine nuts and cook for another minute. Stir in half the cheese and serve.

Serves 4

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Pizza with butternut squash

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I would never have thought to make pizza with butternut squash but this sounds delicious.  You can make your own pizza dough or buy it fresh or frozen at the supermarket.  Pesto is also generally available at stores, or, again, make your own.  Mozzarella would be a good substitute for the fontina or Gouda cheese and, if you use the part-skim milk variety, would bring down the fat content of the pizza. And, of course, dispense with the sugar if you want.

Cleo, Food Bank volunteer

 

 

 Ingredients

• 6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled butternut squash (about 1/2 pound)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded fontina or Gouda cheese
• Pizza dough
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can finely chopped tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Place squash mixture on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until squash is tender.
• Increase oven temperature to 450°.
• Sprinkle fontina over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with squash mixture, tomatoes, and oregano. Drop pesto by level teaspoons onto mixture; sprinkle with Romano. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Totals include Pizza Dough

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