Pumpkin Carving! Recipe: Pasta with Squash and Sage-Brown-Butter

Dear B-Reader,

One of my friends who is venturing into the weekly soup enterprise asked me how to remove the peel from a squash without sacrificing the much sought-after flesh.

In response, I would treat the squash as I would an orange. Here is a website with a great pictorial outline of proper orange peeling and segmenting. To apply to a squash, see first section of my recipe below which puts to use the harvested gourd flesh.

Preparing your own squash really is a simple process once you master it. And, fair warning, you will never, ever, want to purchase the canned stuff again. Ah, truly fresh pumpkin bread could await you!

Let me know if you have any other tricks (or treats) for carving your fave member of the gourd family.

Cucurbitaceae Diem!

- Chalkaholic

Pasta with Squash and Sage-Brown-Butter

From Katherine M. Chalkley (adapted from Southern Living and Donna Hay)

This is great recipe for practicing squash carving skills…just in time for Halloween!

For a heartier version of this recipe: brown one package of ground turkey, season with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper, add turkey to pasta upon serving prior to the butter drizzle.

For preparing squash

One large gourd (e.g., acorn squash, butternut squash, pumpkin)

2 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut top and bottom ends off of squash so that it is able to be standing on cutting board without wobbling. Cut squash in half length-wise.

 Remove seeds from squash halves. Discard seeds (or roast if you are up for a fun snack).

In pot, add two halves of squash. Cover with water. Cover pot with lid. Bring to boil. Allow squash to boil for 10 minutes.

Remove pot from heat. Drain squash. Allow squash to cool for 5 minutes.

Stand one squash half onto cutting board. Using the peeling technique, remove the skin from the squash using a very sharp carving knife. Repeat onto second squash half.

 

Slice squash into one inch thick segments. Place squash into glass dish or other roasting pan; drizzle with olive oil.

Roast for 15 – 30 minutes, or until squash is golden. Top squash with pepper.

 

For dish

1 package dry fettuccini or pappardelle pasta

½ tsp salt

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp fresh sage leaves (whole)

Roasted squash from recipe above

In pot, fill with water. Bring water to a boil. Add pasta and salt. Allow pasta to boil for 7 minutes or until al dente.

Remove pot from heat. Drain pasta. Set aside pasta.

In sauté pan, heat butter and olive oil at medium heat until butter is bubbling. Place sage leaves into melted butter. Allow sage and butter to sauté until mixture becomes golden-brown in color.

In serving dish, place pasta. Drizzle pasta with sage-brown-butter. Place squash atop pasta. Serve hot.