Sage Brown Butter and Butternut Squash Fusilli

In sad news; summer is over. In happy news; butternut squash season is upon us. A vegetable that truly is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the stomach. I am serving it up simply today; roasted, tossed in a sage brown butter and enjoyed with good quality pasta. When the ingredients list is this short it really is worth treating yourself to the best quality produce.

For those who are not familiar; brown butter is butter that has been melted and cooked until the milk solids turn golden. Once you make it I guarantee that it will change your game in the kitchen forever as it is so easy to make but enhances the flavour of just about everything. It really is like nectar. The sweetness of the butternut squash and the brown butter marry together to create this dulcet sauce that can be perfectly cut through with a good grating of Parmesan. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash, skin and seeds removed and cut into a small dice
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper
150 g butter
360 g dried fusilli or small pasta
1 spring of sage, leaves removed
Parmesan/ Vegetarian Parmesan (to serve)

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C (fan).
Toss the diced butternut squash in olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until soft.
Cook pasta according to packet instructions towards the end of the butternut squash cooking time.
Heat the butter with the sage leaves on a medium heat in a large pan, preferably a silver or white pan so you can monitor the colour of the butter. Turn the heat to medium high and swirl the butter around whilst it melts. First the butter will foam up and then the milk solids will go golden and the buttter will have a nutty smell.
Tumble the butternut squash into the butter along with the drained pasta. Season with a little black pepper and serve. Do not worry if the sage leaves go a little crisp this just gives a new texture.