what you need
1 small-medium sized butternut squash, chopped into ~2 inch squares
1 onion, quartered
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
salt, to taste
1/4 cup water
1 pound loose, mild sausage (Whole Foods’ bulk sage sausage is a great choice)
1/2-1 pound pasta noodles of choice (we used tagliatelle for lacking farfalle, paccheri, or campanelle, all of which would have likely been better)Â
8-10 fresh sage leavesÂ
2 tablespoons salted butterÂ
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and halfÂ
1/2-3/4 cup parmesan cheese
how to make it
Method: stovetop
Utensil: blender
Preheat oven to 400. Place butternut squash squares, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary, and roast until cooked through, ~15 minutes.Â
While the veg is roasting, roll the loose sausage into small, hastily-formed meatballs, and brown them in a saucepan until cooked through. Remove and set aside on a plate.
Cook the pasta until al dente.
Transfer the roasted veg to a blender with about 1/2 cup of water and some salt. Blend thoroughly, adding water until very smooth.Â
To the original sausage saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and fry the fresh sage leaves over medium heat for ~1-2 minutes. Add the blended veg to the saucepan and stir until combined and bubbling. Add the sausage. Then add the cream. Stir and heat completely (the mixture will be very thick and will pop all over the place if you do not heat it slowly). Add the pasta along with several tablespoons of pasta water to make the sauce silky. Add in some grated parmesan cheese an give it all a good mix.
Plate and serve immediately with additional parmesan on top and a sage leaf, for dramatic effect.Â
