Roasted Squash and Sausage Pasta

Roasted Squash and Sausage Pasta

1 butternut squash

1 lb. fresh sausage (sweet Italian or Polish)

1 red onion

1 box whole wheat pasta

1 tsp. thyme

salt & pepper

oil

1 cup grated cheese

Peel and dice squash. Cut sausages into pieces (about 1.5 inches long). Chop onion. Combine onion, squash and sausage on a baking tray. Coat with oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Roast at 375F until squash is tender (about 1 hour.).

Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to box directions. Keep warm. When squash is cooked, add to pasta and throw in a few handfuls of grated cheese.

Tagliatelle with Roast Pumpkin, Sage, Ricotta and Smoked Cheese

Tagliatelle with Roast Pumpkin, Sage, Ricotta and Smoked Cheese
(Roast Figs, Sugar Snow)

I once had the chance to review a cookbook for the BBC Good Food Magazine. This was one of the recipes I chose to cook for that review. It is so delicious and I would definately make it more, except for the expense of some of the ingredients.

3 lb 5 oz pumpkin or butternut squash
olive oil
6 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper
1lb 5 oz fresh tagliatelle
handful of sage leaves
2 oz ricotta, fresh if possible, forked into chunks
4 1/2 oz smoked cheese, grated

Peel pumpkin and cut into small chunks. Drizzle with olive oil, season and dot with butter. Roast at 400F until tender (30 minutes). When the pumpkin is almost ready, cook the fresh pasta in boiling water for 4 minutes (or according to package instructions). Melt the rest of the butter and gently fry the sage leaves in it. When the pasta is ready, drain and stir in the butter and sage mixture, seasoning well. Gently toss with the roast pumpkin. Divide between plates and top with chunks of ricotta and the grated smoked cheese. Add a good grinding of black pepper.

Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta

Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta
(BBC GoodFood Magazine, September 2005)

3 Tbsp olive oil
5 oz bacon, cut into small pieces (or bits of ham)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. butter
1 lb 2 oz pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and diced
handful fresh sage, finely shredded
14 0z pasta
1 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat a heavy-based saucepan, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and bacon, cook for a few minutes. Add remaining oil and onion. Cook for 5 minutes until the onion softens and the bacon is getting crispy. Stir in the butter, then tip in the pumpkin and sage. Mix well to combine, then season. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occassionally until the pumpkin is soft, but not falling apart. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Drain pasta and add to the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the parmesan and season.

Sausage and Pumpkin Roast

Sausage and Pumpkin Roast
(BBC GoodFood Magazine, October 2005)

1 pound sausages (I like fresh mild Italian sausages)
1 lb 2 oz pumpkin, peeled and cut into thin wedges
2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups gravy, or thickened beef stock, or bisto gravy

Heat oven to 425F. Put the first 3 ingredients in a roasting pan and coat with the oil. Roast for 20 minutes (or more) until the sausages are browned and the pumpkin softened and starting to crisp at the edges. Tip the gravy into the roasting pan and gently stir around the pumpkin and sausages with a wooden spoon, scraping up any sticky or crispy bits as you go. Return to the oven for another 2 minutes until the gravy starts to bubble. Season to taste and serve with greens or beans.

Note: Butternut squash is a wonderful substitution. I've also made a version of this which omits the gravy, leaving you with a lovely pile of roasted squash, onions and sausage. If you omit the gravy you could then toss the roasted pumpkin and sausage with pasta.

Roasted Veg Summer Pasta

Cut up and place on baking sheet:

3 colored peppers
1 large red onion

Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper and liberally coat with olive oil. Roast in a 350 degree oven until soft, but not over-cooked (about 45 minutes).

Meanwhile, prepare your choice of pasta according to package directions. I chose a WholeGrain Pasta from Barilla or a similar company.

To the cooked and drained pasta add:

the roasted vegetables
mini-mozzarella balls cut in half (I had these leftover from a party and used about 1 1/2 cups; you could substitute other types of mozzarella)
a handful of fresh basil leaves
more olive oil if you feel it needs a bit of moistening