I always keep a butternut squash in my kitchen. They last for ages without going bad, and always seem to come in handy when your cupboards are bare and there’s nothing else to cook. A couple years ago, on a Sunday evening in the middle of winter, my husband decided to be creative with the butternut squash.

Using a small packet of pine nuts, some fresh sage, and a tiny bit of dried chillies, he created what is known in our household as ‘pumpkin pasta’. The trick is to use a small pasta like orecchiette, which captures the pumpkin sauce in each bite (and is the perfect size for little mouths). This pasta dish is really easy to make and is always a hit, especially with the kids because it’s slightly sweet and very flavorful. It’s one of my boys’ favorite meals.

Here is the recipe…

-1 butternut squash
-small package of pine nuts (50-100 grams), roasted
-1 small bunch of fresh sage, chopped
-dried chili pepper, crushed
-s&p
-olive oil
-butter
-16 oz. package of orecchiette pasta
-parmesan cheese

Slice the butternut squash into quarters and place on a baking tray with flesh facing up. Roast in the oven for roughly 30 minutes, until the peel comes off easily. Peel and chop the squash.

In a large frying pan, Sauté the the squash in butter, olive oil, salt and pepper, and a bit of dried chili pepper. Add the sage and roasted pine nuts. The pumpkin mixture should be thick and mushy.

Cook the pasta in a big pot of boiling water. Drain the pasta, and return to the pot. Stir in the pumpkin mixture, and make sure the pasta is evenly covered throughout. Grate parmesan on top.

Delicious!

-Courtney