Pasta With Roasted Butternut Squash, Sausage and Kale
Serves 6
2 lbs. Butternut Squash Cut in 1 inch Cubes
3 Garlic Cloves – Whole
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
1 lb. Cheese & Parsley Sausage – Out of Casing
1 TBSP. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
3 Cups Kale – Roughly Chopped
1 ½ Cup Chicken Broth
⅛ tsp. Nutmeg
½ Cup Pecorino Romano
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 ½ lbs. Fusilli Avellinesi or pasta of your choice
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Boil well salted pasta water. Line a baking pan with parchment. Put the butternut squash and the garlic on the pan and coat with 2 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Roast in the oven until cooked through. About 25 minutes.
In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and add the sausage. Break it apart into small pieces as it cooks. Add the red pepper flakes once the sausage is cooked through. You can add more if you like it spicier! Add the kale and begin to wilt. Add in ½ cup of chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. Remove the butternut squash from the oven. Puree in a blender with 1 ½ cups of chicken broth. Boil the pasta.
Combine the pureed butternut with the sausage and kale mixture. Add the nutmeg and Pecorino Romano. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reserve pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. If extra “juice” is needed, add the pasta water to loosen up the sauce. Serve topped with more Pecorino!!