- 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped in ~1-inch pieces*
- 1 Tbl olive oil
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 4 slices bacon, diced (can easily be made without, if that's how you roll)
- 1 red onion, halved & thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- pinch crushed red pepper
- 1/2 bunch ruby chard, stems chopped, leaves sliced (or use spinach or other greens)
- splash of apple cider, wine or broth
- freshly grated nutmeg, optional
- 1/2-1 cup half & half or heavy cream (optional but recommended)
- 1 box whole-wheat penne or other pasta (the whole wheat is nice here)
- Parmesan cheese
First, roast the butternut squash (this can be done ahead of time):
*This time, I learned and wore rubber gloves while peeling and dicing the squash. Apparently raw butternut squash has some compound that can make some people's skin feel like it's covered in dried Elmer's glue that won't wash off. I discovered I'm one of those people.
Toss the squash in a large bowl with the olive oil, sage, and some salt & pepper. Spread out on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast at 375 for 20 minutes, or until tender.
Cook the diced bacon in a Dutch oven or large pot until crispy.
Drain the bacon pieces on paper towels; reserve. While bacon is cooking, chop onion, garlic and the stems from the chard:
Saute onion in the bacon drippings over medium heat until soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes.
Add the garlic, chard stems and red pepper flakes. Saute for a couple minutes. Deglaze the pan with a splash of apple cider (or wine or broth):
Grate in some fresh nutmeg (if you don't have fresh, I wouldn't bother). Add the chard leaves. They'll cook down!
After the chard has cooked down, reduce the heat to low and add in the butternut squash.
Add half & half or cream and simmer for a couple minutes. Toss in cooked penne and let sit for a few minutes over low heat - the liquid will thicken and coat the pasta.
Add the bacon bits and parmesan cheese...and enjoy your Pasta of Awesome!
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