Butternut Squash Spinach Pasta Food

CREAMY ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
• Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
• In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.
• Add crumbled sausage and cook for about 10 minutes, regularly stirring, until the sausage is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Tip: Cook the sausage while the butternut squash is being roasted.
• In a separate, large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil together with minced garlic and spinach over medium heat. Cook, occasionally stirring, for about 5 or 7 minutes until spinach starts to wilt.
• Add heavy cream. Bring to a brief boil, then immediately reduce to simmer (boiling but not intensely). Add shredded Parmesan cheese. Keep stirring the sauce with the Parmesan cheese on low to medium boil (simmer) until the cheese melts. Remove from heat.
• Season with salt to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. No salt might be necessary if the sausage is very salty.
• Tip: Use your judgment about whether to add salt or not based on how salty the sausage is. Make the cream sauce while the butternut squash is being roasted.
• Cook pasta al dente in boiling water according to package instructions. That usually means cooking pasta in boiling water for about 7 to 11 minutes. Drain.
• To a large skillet with the creamy spinach sauce, add drained cooked pasta and cooked sausage. Stir. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Top the pasta with roasted butternut squash. Stir the squash in, or leave it on top.

PASTA WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Fill a 4-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for cooking pasta.
• Quarter, seed, and peel squash. Cut squash into 1/2-inch cubes. Coarsely chop spinach and mince garlic.
• In a large heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté squash with salt to taste, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 7 minutes.
• While squash is cooking, cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain pasta in a colander.
• Add spinach and garlic to skillet with squash and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until any liquid is evaporated. Add pasta and reserved cooking water and bring to a boil. Season pasta with lemon juice and salt and pepper. Remove skillet from heat and toss pasta with Parmesan.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SAUSAGE, SPINACH & MUSHROOM PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 6. Whisk together the vinegar and half the olive oil. Put the squash in a roasting tin and toss with the dressing, the chilli and seasoning. Squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skins, roll into small meatballs (you should have about 35). Arrange around the squash and roast for 35-40 mins, turning halfway, until the squash is tender and the meatballs are caramelised.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, until bubbling. Add the sage and allow to sizzle for a few minutes, or until crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper. By this point, the butter should have browned. Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds, then gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously until you have a smooth sauce, about 7-10 mins. Add the nutmeg and some seasoning, stir in the parmesan until melted, then stir in the mustard.
• Oil a medium-sized baking dish. Cook the pasta following pack instructions until al dente, then drain and run under cold running water. Heat the remaining oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the mushrooms with a pinch of salt for a few minutes, until softened and caramelised. Add the garlic, then the greens, stirring until the greens wilt, then add to the white sauce along with the squash, pasta and half the fried sage, adding up to 50ml milk or water if it's too thick.
• Pour into the baking dish, then add the meatballs. Scatter over the remaining sage, the reserved squash seeds, and grate over the extra parmesan. Roast for 25-30 mins, until golden and bubbling. Allow to settle for 10 mins before serving.

ROASTED SQUASH, SHALLOT, SPINACH & RICOTTA PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the squash and shallots into a large roasting dish. Toss in the oil, season and roast for 40 mins, stirring once.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions, reserving a few tbsp of cooking water. Place the spinach in a large colander and pour over boiling water to wilt. Allow to cool a little, then squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Pop into a bowl with two-thirds of the ricotta, the sage, lemon juice and zest, nutmeg and seasoning, then stir.
• Next, tip the ricotta mixture into the hot drained pasta. Stir, adding a few tbsp of the cooking liquid. Mix most of the roasted veg with the pasta. Divide into bowls and dot with the remaining ricotta and scatter over any final bits of veg.

CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 10 to 11 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add squash and saute until fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic, sage, and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Fold in cream and spinach; bring to a simmer. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Add ziti and toss until evenly coated. Cook until sauce has thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Divide between 8 bowls. Top with walnuts and more Parmesan.

SQUASH & SPINACH FUSILLI WITH PECANS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the butternut squash, garlic and sage in the oil, then spread out in a roasting tin and cook in the oven for 20 mins, add the courgettes and cook for a further 15 mins. Give everything a stir, then add the pecans and cook for 5 mins more until the nuts are toasted and the vegetables are tender and starting to caramelise.
• Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to pack instructions - about 12 mins. Drain, then tip into a serving bowl and toss with the spinach so that it wilts in the heat from the pasta. Add the roasted veg and pecans, breaking up the nuts a little, and toss again really well before serving.