Fettuccine with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brown Butter and Sage

By lorik

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, about 2 pounds
• 1/2 pound fettuccini noodles
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10-15 whole sage leaves, sliced cross-wise into very thin ribbons
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup cup pine nuts
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from thekitchn.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oven to 450°F.

Peel the squash, scrape out the seeds, and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss the cubes with a little olive oil and salt, and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 45-60 minutes, stirring the cubes every 15 minutes, until they are tender and beginning to show caramelized brown spots. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta with a generous amount of salt for 7-9 minutes, or according to package instructions. Scoop out 1/2 cup of pasta cooking liquid before draining, then drain the pasta and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally and cook until the butter has turned caramel-brown and smells nutty, about 5 minutes.

Add the sage leaves to the browned butter and let them fry for a few seconds until crispy. Add the roasted butternut squash, nutmeg, and a half teaspoon of salt to the pan and stir until the squash is evenly coated with butter. Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta liquid and let this bubble into a thin sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add the cooked pasta, tossing to coat and mix evenly. Remove from heat.
Transfer the pasta into a large serving bowl or individual pasta bowls. Top with the pine nuts and a generous shaving of parmesan cheese.

Notes:
• Shortcut Version: For a quicker weeknight pasta, reduce the roasting time for the squash to 15-20 minutes. The squash will be tender but not caramelized. The squash can also be roasted a few days ahead.

• Extra-Creamy Version: When adding the pasta water to the pan, also add 1/4-1/2 cup of cream and a cup of shredded parmesan cheese. Wait for the cheese to melt into a creamy sauce and then add the pasta.

Per serving, based on 4 servings. (% daily value)
Calories 508 Fat 22.4 g (34.4%) Saturated 8.8 g (44%) Trans 0.5 g Carbs
70.3 g (23.4%) Fiber 8.1 g (32.4%) Sugars 6.5 g Protein 12.3 g (24.6%)
Cholesterol 78.2 mg (26.1%) Sodium 23.1 mg (1%)