Pasta with Butternut Squash and Sage
By Francisco J. RobertPublished on February 22, 2012
Time
55 minutes
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
4 slices bacon, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces8 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tablespoon minced (see note)1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice1 tablespoon unsalted butter 6 scallions, sliced thin (about 1 cup)¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 teaspoon sugar Salt and ground black pepper 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 pound penne pasta or other short, tubular pasta2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving4 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Before You Begin
Don’t be tempted to use dried sage in this recipe.
Instructions
- Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add whole sage leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl, reserving bacon fat and bacon-sage mixture separately.
- Return skillet to high heat, add 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat (adding olive oil if necessary) and heat until shimmering. Add squash in even layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Add butter and allow to melt, about 30 seconds. Add scallions, nutmeg, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and minced sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to simmer; continue to cook until squash is tender, 1 to 3 minutes longer.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and transfer back to Dutch oven.
- Add squash mixture to pasta; stir in 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and reserved bacon-sage mixture, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta liquid. Serve, passing almonds and Parmesan separately.
Time
55 minutesYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
4 slices bacon, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
8 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tablespoon minced (see note)
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 scallions, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound penne pasta or other short, tubular pasta
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
4 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
4 slices bacon, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
8 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tablespoon minced (see note)
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 scallions, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound penne pasta or other short, tubular pasta
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
4 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
4 slices bacon, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
8 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tablespoon minced (see note)
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 scallions, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound penne pasta or other short, tubular pasta
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
4 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Butternut squash usually gets camouflaged inside ravioli, but we wanted to bump up its flavor and bring it out of hiding. To amplify butternut squash’s mild flavor enough so that it could be tossed with pasta, we cooked sage in bacon fat, then sautéed the squash in the fat, infusing it with flavor while caramelizing it. Adding a bit of chicken broth and braising the squash for a few minutes transformed it into a sauce that was not only flavorful but also clung well to the pasta. Lemon juice added brightness to the sauce, Parmesan cheese gave it a layer of salty richness, and toasted sliced almonds provided some welcome crunch.
Before You Begin
Don’t be tempted to use dried sage in this recipe.
Instructions
- Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add whole sage leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl, reserving bacon fat and bacon-sage mixture separately.
- Return skillet to high heat, add 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat (adding olive oil if necessary) and heat until shimmering. Add squash in even layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Add butter and allow to melt, about 30 seconds. Add scallions, nutmeg, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and minced sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to simmer; continue to cook until squash is tender, 1 to 3 minutes longer.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and transfer back to Dutch oven.
- Add squash mixture to pasta; stir in 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and reserved bacon-sage mixture, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta liquid. Serve, passing almonds and Parmesan separately.
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