Mmmmm Pasta. Today I am snowed in. I am in Connecticut. It is cold out. Who decides to move to CT in the winter. This person. Not my brightest idea…. However, I will say…I love snow. It is so pretty. I work from home, so it’s not like I actually have a leg to stand on when I complain. I have it pretty good. While all the other people (I am sorry guys) have to go out, dig out their cars, drive on the icy roads, and trudge through the snow…I get to sit inside, under my blanket, drink my coffee, and talk to you nice people. But still…I stand by my earlier statement…It’s cold out.
I don’t know about you, but when I am cold I want pasta. Usually my craving tends toward the unhealthy versions of this dish. Lasagna dripping in cheese, gooey macaroni and cheese, or something in a cream sauce (do you notice a pattern). But lets be honest, if I ate that stuff every time I was cold, I would have to go buy new clothes (I am way too poor for that!). If you are like me, you might be sad that I said we can’t eat that stuff all the time (sorry but it true!). However, don’t worry! I have found a great solution! In fact…I can’t believe I didn’t discover this stuff sooner. Butternut Squash Pasta. I am a total convert. This stuff rocks. It is addictive (ask Sara…poor girl…every time I make it I rave about it to her for hours…it is just really good!). You won’t even miss the creamy cheese sauces. Wait, don’t stop reading! I am not joking. It really is good.
I started out by roasting the butternut squash. Next, I made a puree with the cooked squash, added some chicken broth and just a splash of cream. I finished it off with a pinch of cayenne pepper to give it a kick (don’t worry it’s not spicy). I served it over some whole wheat pasta and grated some fresh Parmesan cheese on top. It was creamy, tasty, and satisfying. Everything you want in pasta. Mmmmm pasta. Give it a try, I am sure you will be a convert to! Okay, have a great day, stay warm, play in the snow, drink plenty of hot chocolate!
Local Ingredient: Butternut Squash (Purchased from the Farmers Market)
Ingredients
2 cups cooked butternut squash (see recipe for cooking instructions)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup half and half
2 pinches cayenne pepper
2 pinches nutmeg
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
2 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Using a sharp knife, cut your butternut squash in half lengthwise (be careful not to cut yourself, these can be tricky to cut!)
- Place the butternut squash face up on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 45-60 minutes (depending on the size of the squash), until the squash is fork tender.
- Once the squash is cooked use a spoon to remove the inside of the squash.
- Place 2 cups of the cooked butternut squash in a food processor.
- Add the chicken broth, half and half, cayenne pepper and nutmeg to the food processor and puree until sauce reaches desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the butternut squash sauce over 2 cups of cooked whole wheat pasta and toss until all the pasta is coated.
- Top with a little bit of fresh grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
This was delicious! I love lots of sauce, so it was fun to load it on and not feel guilty. The only change I made was vegetarian broth instead of chicken.
Laura I am so glad you liked it! This has become one of my favorite go-to pasta sauce recipes. Thanks for the tip on switching out the broth!!!