Butternut Squash and Sage pasta for two

This dish smelled so good that I kinda did a rush job with the photography. I threw this together last night out of odds and ends in the fridge and a ClosetCooking recipe search. This is one of his recipes, much modified by me, and it turned out incredibly good. He went through a sage, onion, squash phase recently, and I'm going through the same phase now. The Hotlinks are actually a very complimentary flavor, so don’t be afraid of them. --AnglophileLV

Butternut squash and sage pasta for two

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1/3rd onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh sage (chopped)
1/2 tsp allspice (nutmeg will also work)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Hotlink sausage (chopped) links
1 generous splash white wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups butternut squash cubed
enough pasta for two – rottini or penne work well
¼ cup heavy cream
½ Tb flour
parmigiano reggiano to taste

For crispy fried sage leaves:
1 handful whole sage leaves
1 Tb butter

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until onions are partially carmelized and garlic is crispy.
3. Add sage and allspice, sauté until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped sausage.
5. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan.
6. Add the chicken stock and squash. Simmer until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
7. Cook your pasta.
8. When the squash is cooked, remove the vegetables from the pan leaving the juice. Put the vegetables aside for now.
9. Brown 1 Tb butter in a pan, then add the whole sage leaves and fry until crispy.
10. Blend the cream and flour together and mix with the juice, then add the parmesan to taste. Pour in the browned butter from the sage pan, reserving the crispy sage for a garnish. Stir in well.
11. Plate the cooked pasta, pour the sauce over, then top with the squash/onion/sage mix. Garnish generously with the crispy fried sage leaves.

Butternut squash with caramelized onions and crispy fried sage

It's the time of year to give thanks, and I'd like to give an extra big helping of Thanks to Closet Cooking. I got the two recipes I made for Thanksgiving this year from Closet Cooking, and they both turned out amazingly well. I hate to go around nailing the leftovers of another food blog (pun intended), but this is what I've been cooking lately, so that's what I'm blogging about.

Incidentally, I will be creating my own leftover turkey risotto recipe tonight, so I haven't thrown originality out the window quite yet.

--AnglophileLV

But for now, bask in the glory that is butternut squash with caramelized onions, crispy fried sage and gorgonzola.

Ingredients:
2 cups butternut squash (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion (sliced)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon butter
1 handful sage leaves
1/4 cup gorgonzola dolce (crumbled)

Directions:
1. Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast the squash in a preheated 350F oven until tender, about 30-40 minutes and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil and melt the butter in a pan.
4. Add the onion and cook on low until caramelized, about 40-60 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes and set aside.
6. Melt the butter in a pan and let it brown.
7. Add the sage leaves and saute until crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
8. Add everything to the pan and toss in the browned butter to coat and remove from heat when the gorgonzola starts to melt.