I have this weird obsession with fall foods. I love the abundant summer produce- the easy salads that practically make themselves, and all the grilled vegetables. I love the fresh tender flavors of spring after a cold winter of heavy soups and stews. But more than just about anything I love the flavors of fall. I love the pumpkin and the squash that makes their appearance, apples in all their crisp glory, I love the balance that comes with all the produce of summer winding down- you can still get those juicy peaches that taste like sunshine but you start getting the winter squash, the hearty greens, the persimmons, pears and apples. No matter what the season is, I am always looking forward to fall flavors. I am totally loving Buenos Aires for that- the mild winter means tons of fall produce is readily available. We picked up a butternut squash for AR$5.80/kilo (which was the equivalent of less than a dollar per 2.2lbs) and I have been busily cooking with it since! I would love to have an oven right about now, roasted squash rocks my world and it makes the entire place smell amazing to boot! However, I knew that going on this trip meant some sacrifices, and roasted squash looks like it will have to be one of them.
Squash is incredible versatile though so we still ended up with an awesome squash and pasta dish. The hardest thing about not roasting a squash is peeling it. If you can, I recommend cutting it in half, removing the seeds and baking it, cut side up, sprinkled with salt, pepper and olive oil, until it is soft enough to scoop out of the skins. Alternatively, you have to peel it. I used a vegetable peeler which did the trick, but I peeled my squash over a trash can and only about a third of the peelings made it into the trash can. The majority made it onto the floor. Don’t throw away the seeds when you scoop out the middle, they are a great source of calcium, zinc and protein- only a few minutes of effort can be turn them into a crispy topping to complement your butternut squash dishes, breads, cereals or eaten as a snack. Butternut squash, and winter squash in general is a nutrient powerhouse! Home to tons of antioxidants and phytonutrients, these tasty gourds are also low in fat and high in fiber. The beautiful orange color comes from its high content of beta-carotene, a carotenoid that deters against breast cancer, heart disease and macular degeneration. It high antioxidant and vitamin C content help to to reduce inflammation and help protect against the chronic diseases that inflammation brings.
Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pasta
Serves 3-4 (or 2 generously with leftovers!)
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 oz Sausage
½ cup Whole Wheat Pasta
2 oz Blue Cheese, crumbled
2 cups Spinach, chopped
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat, add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in the middle and the outside are starting to brown. Drain the fat, but keep enough for a light sheen on the pan. Set the cooked sausage aside.
Next, caramelize your onions. Heat the same pan you just used for sausage. When it is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring constantly until they are soft. Turn your heat down to low (or utilize the on for one minute, off for one minute trick on a hotplate), add 1 tablespoon of water, cover and allow onions to cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they seem dry, add another 1 tablespoon of water, cover and cook. When they are brown, soft and sweet they are done. You can call it anytime after the 10 minute mark, but the longer you let them cook, the sweeter and more flavorful they get. When they are done, set them aside in another bowl.
While you are caramelizing your onions, start some water to boil for your pasta and steam your butternut squash. I added a tiny splash of water to my cubed butternut and microwaved it for about 5 minutes. Just until it was tender enough to pierce with a fork.
When the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until just al dente, about 8 minutes. It will finish cooking later, so you don’t want it to be too soft or it will turn to mush.
While you pasta is cooking, heat your sauté pan again with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Toss the butternut squash in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally to allow it to get a little brown on each side.
Drain your pasta, reserving 1 cup of the liquid. In the pasta pot, combine pasta, sausage, onions and butternut squash. Stir well to combine, adding the pasta water back in and the remaining olive oil to give it some moisture. Add the chopped spinach and half of the blue cheese. Stir well, the heat from the pasta will wilt the spinach and melt the cheese. Serve, sprinkling with remaining blue cheese and crispy butternut squash seeds.