Winter squash is going to be done soon at the farmer’s market, so I want to enjoy while it’s still available (especially when it’s still $1/lb!). I’ve made butternut squash with risotto, and a couple different ways with pasta (Jamie Oliver’s rotolo and ravioli). It almost always is paired with sage - granted, that’s one of nature’s best pairings, but it gets old. I was curious to try this recipe from January 2009 Gourmet, which dropped the sage in lieu of bitter radicchio leaves. I adapted the original recipe by crisping up some cubes of pancetta, to give it a little more saltiness. Since the squash was cubed and then sauteed (meaning no roasting required), it was ready in about 45 minutes.
Grocery list: 1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons), olive oil, 1/3 cup pine nuts, 1.5 pound butternut squash, 1 head radicchio, 4 thick slices pancetta (about 6 ounces), 1 pound fresh pappardelle pasta, 1/2 cup grated hard ricotta salata cheese (or parmesan).
Start by prepping the butternut squash.
Slice off the ends, the chop in half. Set each half of squash up on a flat end - this makes it easier to slice the skin right off.
Slice the bulb end of the squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon and scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff.
Cube the squash into bite size pieces.
Next, prep the radicchio by peeling off the outer leaves…
Then quarter. To core it, you slice the white part out of the inside by holding each quarter up on its end (like you’d cut the seed/core part out of apple quarters).
Thinly slice the radicchio quarters.
The last big part of the chopping prep work is the pancetta.
Cube the pancetta in 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.
Melt the butter in a heavy dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Cook the butter until it’s brown, about 2 minutes.
Add the pine nuts and cook until they are brown on all sides. Don’t stop stirring the pine nuts though, they will cook FAST.
Remove the pine nuts from the butter with a slotted spoon to a small separate bowl.
Add the squash pieces to the brown butter and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the squash is tender and starting to brown. This took about 10-12 minutes for me.
Cook the pancetta cubes in a small fry pan separately, so you can drain the fat off. Cook until the pieces are brown and starting to crisp, about 8 minutes over medium-high heat.
I haven’t cooked with ricotta salata before - I found it at the farmer’s market.
Grate a hunk of it, about half a cup or more.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Now’s the time to reach for the homemade pasta you prepared earlier, or the package of fresh pasta. I make homemade pasta all the time, and assume I’ve covered it before. Today I just realized the “best” version of this was actually pretty sad (as part of my post on butternut squash ravioli). I promise to redo the photos next time I make it and add it to the Tutorials section.
Add a handful of salt to the water right when it starts to boil, then cook for 2-3 minutes. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the rest.
Coming back to the squash… Add the radicchio slices and cook for another couple minutes, until the radicchio has wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked and drained pasta to the pot with the squash and radicchio. Pour about 1/2 cup of the pasta water into the pot and stir. If it’s still sticky, add a little olive oil or a little more of the pasta water.
Turn off the heat. Drain the pancetta pieces on a paper towel, then mix them into the pasta.
Serve the pasta topped with the toasted pine nuts, grated cheese, and another crack of fresh pepper.
Tue, Mar 17, 2009
Pasta