Pasta With Butternut Squash, Arugula And Feta
serves 4-6
The bold flavors -- butternut squash, arugula and feta -- in this dish make it a good match for a hearty whole wheat pasta like penne or fusilli. Start your pasta when the squash is halfway done if you want the timing to come together seamlessly.
2 pounds butternut squash
Olive oil
1 pound penne
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3 cups arugula
1 cup feta, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly grated parmesan
prep: 10 minutes
total: 1 hour
baking sheet
large pot
colander
vegetable peeler
knife
cutting board
large sauté pan
1. Preheat the oven to 400F with the rack in the middle position. Peel and cut the squash into bite-size cubes, discarding the seeds and pulp. Put the cubes on a baking sheet and toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash. Season with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper.
2. Roast in the oven until the squash is tender but not falling apart, 30-35 minutes. Halfway through the cooking process, set a large pot of water to boil on the stovetop. Once the water is boiling, add salt and pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before straining into a colander. Toss the pasta back into the hot pot with a splash of water and cover.
3. When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and set aside. Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. When it’s hot and bubbling, add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and soft, 6-8 minutes. Add the squash and chopped sage to the pan and stir to combine. Cook 2-3 minutes more.
4. Add the pasta to the squash and onion mixture. If it looks too dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss in the arugula and feta and stir to combine. Add a light sprinkling of red pepper flakes and a generous amount of grated parmesan.
