PASTA! Butternut Squash and Sage...

Pasta is perfect any night of the week. Here is a one-skillet dinner that will go down in tasty bites. And with gulps of wine.

After receiving the February 2013 issue of Bon Appetite, I immediately commissioned Jesse to make the Fiorentini with Butternut Squash dish on page 75. I couldn't find fiorentini at Safeway, so opted for penne instead. It was so delicious, here is our second time making it...

~ingredients (7)~

1) 2 TB olive oil
2) 2 TB butter
3) 5 cups shredded butternut squash (from about 1/2 peeled medium squash -- but we used the entire squash from Trader Joe's)

4) 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh sage -- we used more on the lines of 1/2 a cup, or entire the Trader Joe's package

5) 1 lb. fiorentini or other short curled pasta (we used penne)
6) Salt
7) 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
- optional: red pepper flakes (to taste)
- optional: 1 shallot
- optional: black pepper

~preparation~

- peel the outer layer off the butternut squash
- shred the squash with the coarse grating attachment on a food processor or on a box grater

- we used a cocoanut shredder that we acquired in Cambodia, close up:

- thinly slice sage and shallot (if used)

- heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat
- add squash and sage and cook, stirring occassionally, until squash begins to brown (~2 min.)

- meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occassionally, until ad dente (definitely al dente since the pasta will cook more later)
- drain pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid
- continue stirring, it may take a little longer than 2 minutes

- add pasta and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to the squash in the pot
- stir to coat
- cook over medium heat, stirring, adding more cooking liquid as needed (until sauce coats pasta)
- stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan
- divide pasta among bowls
- top with more Parmesan