a creamy, seasonal BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA with CRISPY SAGE

Peel the butternut squash and dice it into small pieces, roughly the same size.

Cut the butternut squash where the bulb becomes thinner, then cut into thirds and dice those pieces.

Scoop out the seeds from the butternut squash using a spoon and scrape.

Fill a pot with water until it covers the diced butternut squash and add salt.

Put a lid on the pot, bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until very soft.

Pick off the leaves from a sprig of sage for frying and set aside the stem for flavoring the sauce.

Add about a tablespoon of red chili flakes to balance the sweetness of the butternut squash.

Slice garlic thinly and set aside.

Cook penne ritorte in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions.

Once the butternut squash is soft, let it cool slightly before pureeing it with about half a cup of water until smooth, resembling tomato puree.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the sage leaves until they are lightly crisp, then remove them from the oil.

Add the sliced garlic, sage stem, and red chili flakes to the oil and cook until the garlic begins to brown.

Turn off the heat and let the oil cool slightly before adding the butternut squash puree to avoid bubbling.

Mix the garlic-infused olive oil into the butternut squash puree and simmer on low, adjusting the consistency with pasta water as needed.

Remove the sage stem from the sauce and check for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.

Cook the pasta until two minutes shy of al dente, then finish cooking it in the butternut squash sauce, adding pasta water as needed for consistency.

Once the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat and stir in cold butter and truffle butter if using.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary