1 small to medium size butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into small cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons butter, divided
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
⅓ cup hazelnuts, finely chopped
1 pound uncooked pasta
20-25 sage leaves, finely chopped
¾ cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange butternut squash on a baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, until tender and caramelizing on the edges.
While the squash cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Remove about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
Meanwhile, as the water is coming to a boil for your pasta and the butternut squash roasts, make your topping. In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add Panko and hazelnuts, and continue to cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or so until toasted and fragrant. Set aside.
Make your sauce. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Continue to cook butter, stirring frequently and adjusting temperature as needed, until butter is starting to become a golden brown color and smells nutty, about 1-2 minutes. Add sage, and continue to cook another minute until fragrant. Carefully add in cream, stirring to combine. Cook, stirring for about 1 minutes, until thickened slightly. Add ¾ cups pasta water. Mixture will be thinner, but continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until thickened up a bit. Add parmesan, stirring until melted and well combined. If mixture is too thick, you can add a little more pasta water; if too thin, gently simmer to thicken. Add in your cooked pasta. Add roasted butternut squash, then top pasta with your hazelnut breadcrumbs and serve.
Recipe by Wright Family Table at https://www.wrightfamilytable.com/brown-butter-sage-pasta/