Orecchiette With Butternut Squash And Sage Food

ORECCHIETTE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add squash seeds and pulp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until seeds puff and turn golden, 10 minutes. Season with salt; transfer to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons butter to skillet; melt. Add sage and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 2 minutes. Transfer to another plate. Add squash flesh to skillet. Season with salt, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 minutes.
• Stir in pasta, 1/2 cup pasta water, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Simmer until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add more pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until pasta is evenly coated; season with salt. Top with squash pulp and seeds, sage leaves, ricotta, and poppy seeds. Drizzle with oil and serve.

ORECCHIETTE WITH GRATED SQUASH, WALNUTS AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Begin heating a large pot of water. When it comes to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and keep at a simmer.
• Meanwhile, peel the squash (I use a vegetable peeler for this), cut it into chunks that will fit your food processor tube fitted with the grater blade, and grate. Alternately, grate with the large holes of a box grater.
• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the grated squash and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the squash has softened. Add the garlic, walnuts and half the marjoram or all of the sage and cook, stirring, for another minute. Turn the heat down to medium.
• Add 1/2 cup of the water for the pasta and cook for another couple of minutes, until it has been absorbed and evaporated from the pan. Add another 1/2 cup water and continue to cook for another 3 minutes, or until the squash mixture is tender and moist. Taste, adjust salt, and add a generous amount of pepper. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
• Bring the pot of water back to a rolling boil and add the orecchiette. Cook al dente, usually 10 to 11 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the cooking water to the squash mixture before draining, then drain the pasta and toss with the squash, along with the remaining marjoram and the ricotta salata. Serve hot.

ORECCHIETTE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Combine the olive oil, garlic and sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove the garlic and sausage with a slotted spoon to a plate, keeping all the oil in the skillet. Add the squash to the skillet; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is lightly browned and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the oregano.
• When you add the squash to the skillet, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water, then drain.
• Add the sausage and garlic, pasta and 1 cup cooking water to the skillet with the squash. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the pasta is well coated, about 1 minute. Add more of the remaining cooking water if the mixture seems dry; season with salt.
• Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the Parmesan and sprinkle with red pepper flakes and/or basil.

ORECCHIETTE WITH SUMMER SQUASH

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Ladle 1 1/2 cups cooking water into a liquid measuring cup and set aside, then drain the pasta in a colander.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic together in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the squash and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is very tender and starting to break down, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking water to the squash and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring and breaking up the squash with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Add the pasta and toss until well coated. Add more cooking water to loosen, as needed. Season with salt.
• Divide the pasta among bowls. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

ORICHETTE PASTA WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SAGE & ITALIAN SAUSAG

Steps:

• Boil water (salted) for pasta.
• Heat large skillet over med-high heat. Add olive oil; swirl to coat pan.
• Add squash and cook 5-6 minutes until browned and caramelized, tossing until all sides are browned. Transfer to bowl. *This can be done ahead of time.
• Add sausage to pan and cook until well browned. Drain. Return sausage to pan.
• Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper, if using, and cook 1 minute.
• Add white wine and simmer, uncovered, 1-2 minutes stirring constantly and scraping pan to loosen any brown bits. *This can be done ahead of time.
• As a time saver: At this point you can set the squash and sausage aside.
• Return squash to pan; add chicken broth and sage. Bring to boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash is very tender, about 10-12 minutes.
• Add pasta to the boiling water for pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. When al dente, drain well.
• Add pasta to squash & sausage mixture, then cook and stir for 2 minutes.
• Add paremesan, pepper , season to taste with salt. Serve.

ORECCHIETTE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH, CINNAMON AND MINT

Steps:

• Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Peel the butternut squash and cut into 1/2-inch squares, discarding the seeds and fibrous parts of the squash. Place the 1/2-inch pieces on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Lightly drizzle the olive oil over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Step 2 Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring once or twice until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Drain and reserve 3/4 cup of pasta cooking liquid.
• Step 3 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, season with kosher salt, and a 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Cook until the shallots are translucent. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon of cinnamon to the pan, and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until shallots are evenly coated. Add the pasta water to the pan over low heat while gradually swirling in the butter. A glossy sauce will form in the pan.
• Step 4 Add the pasta and squash to the pan over medium heat, and toss to coat with the sauce. Add the lemon juice and a 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, stir to combine. Season the pasta with a generous amount of kosher salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pasta with the remaining Parmesan, cinnamon and the chopped mint leaves. Serve immediately.