Hard Winter Squash
Plant hard squash and pumpkins at the end of summer for a fall/winter harvest.
Common varieties include acorn, butternut, delicata, hubbard, kabocha, kuri and spaghetti.
Although called hard squ...
Most of us are familiar with the American version of Fettuccini Alfredo, with its rich and creamy parmesan and garlic sauce, draped over tender pasta and topped with parsley. Delicious on its own, and a perfect complement for chicken or shrimp anytime of the year. My version features butternut squash, a local seasonal bounty that epitomizes the flavors of the holiday season. This ingredient creates a sweet, textural and colorful addition to the velvety sauce. Paired with crispy sage leaves and familiar winter spices, it will feel like a warm hug on cool nights.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
For Butternut Squash
- 2½ cups butternut squash
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon chile flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh julienne sliced sage
For Alfredo Sauce
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4 to 5 finely minced fresh garlic cloves
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For Pasta
- 4 servings pasta of your choice
- 2 tablespoons salt for pasta water
For Garnish
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 whole sage leaves
Preparation
Butternut Squash
Slice off top and bottom, peel, quarter, remove the seeds and cut into ¼-inch cubes.
Turn burner on to medium-high and add butter to a large sauté pan. Once melted, add butternut squash, nutmeg, ginger, chile flakes, salt and sage ribbons. Gently toss together to fully coat. Arrange squash in a single layer and leave to brown. Toss and repeat for all sides. Once done, remove squash from pan and set both to the side.
Pasta
Add water to a large stockpot and set burner to high. Once boiling, add pasta and salt and cook until desired level of doneness.
Sage
While the pasta cooks, return to the large sauté pan you used to cook the squash. Set heat to medium high/high and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gently and carefully tilt pan approximately 45°, to create a small pool of oil at edge. (For gas stoves, ensure oil is away from the flame).
Add whole fresh sage leaves to oil in single layer to quickly fry. Once leaves turn dark green, remove and set on paper towel to dry and crisp up. Repeat until all sage is done.
(Alternative: If you are not comfortable with this method, you can use a small pan, add enough oil for sage to float and fry all the leaves at once.
TIP: The former method reduces the amount of oil you use and dishes you’ll have to do!)
Alfredo Sauce
Place the same large sauté pan on medium heat and add butter. Once melted and sizzling, add garlic in a single layer to soften but not brown, about a minute.
Next, slightly turn down heat and slowly pour in heavy cream. Whisk to incorporate. Once it’s all blended, add parmesan cheese and continue to whisk. Cheese will melt, the sauce will thicken and become glossy and velvety. At this time, add the cooked butternut squash mixture and slowly fold it into the sauce with a rubber spatula. Be careful to not break the squash you perfectly cut!
Finally, add cooked pasta to pan, fold into sauce and evenly coat to distribute ingredients.
TIP: If your pan is not large enough to hold all the ingredients, transfer pasta and sauce to a large bowl to incorporate.
Garnish dish with crispy sage leaves and enjoy!
