I always order the same thing when we go to our favorite Italian restaurant: butternut squash ravioli. It's the perfect combination of sweet and savory, and tossed with sage and olive oil it can't be beat. I tried to recreate the dish a couple of times, but I am terrible at making ravioli. Then it dawned on me; why does it have to be ravioli? I can put all the same flavors into a pasta dish and forget the hassle.
If you aren't familiar with prepping butternut squash, it is important to know that it can cause "contact dermatitis" for many people. This is a minor skin allergy caused from contact with the flesh of the squash. If you experience this, just apply Cortisone cream and it should clear up in a day or so. If you have sensitive skin, you may just want to take the precaution of wearing latex gloves. Many places sell butternut squash already cut into small squares, but you'll pay a lot less if you buy a whole one and prep it yourself.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups butternut squash, cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
- handful of fresh sage, prepared into a chiffonade
- 8oz uncooked dried farfalle pasta
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons crushed walnuts
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Toss butternut squash in 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Spread out on cookie sheet and roast in oven for 10 minutes. Flip squash over and roast for another 10 minutes or until softened.
- While squash is roasting, cook farfalle according to package instructions. Drain and set cooked pasta aside, but reserve a 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
- Using same pot used to cook the pasta (why dirty another dish?) heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, and sage, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until sage is crispy.
- Remove from heat. Add in pasta and squash, and toss well in olive oil sauce. Use the reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. It has some starch in it so will help the olive oil stick to the pasta. Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with crushed walnuts.
