Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 (2-pound) butternut or kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnut toasted
1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
Directions
Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add the squash and onion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.
To toast the walnuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes Cool completely before using.
PASTA WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SAGE• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 pound gemelli or penne rigate pasta
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan plus additional for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
PREPARATION
1.
1. Cook onion in oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden. Finely chop squash pieces in a food processor and add to onion with water and salt to taste. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Add sage and simmer 1 minute more. Cook pasta in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid in a cup and drain pasta. Return pasta to pot and add squash mixture, parsley, 1 cup parmesan, butter, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, stirring until butter is melted. Season with salt and add some of reserved pasta cooking liquid to moisten if necessary.
2. Serve sprinkled with additional parmesan.
That should get you going. One of my most favorite squashes, if harvested properly with 3 to 5 inches of stem left on them they will last up to 6 months in a cool dry place.
The dumpling squash is sweeter than butternuts too.
Al
