Linguine with Roasted Butternut Squash Sauce and Crispy Sage

1. Preheat your oven to 400° F.
2. Place butternut squash on a large baking sheet and toss with about 2-3 teaspoons of oil and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.
3. Roast for about 18 minutes then toss with the shallot, garlic, and 1 ½ teaspoons more oil and bake for another 7 to 10 minutes, until the shallot and garlic are fragrant and starting to brown. (Check at 7 minutes to avoid burning.) Set mixture aside to cool.
4. While the squash is roasting, heat a 6-inch pan over medium-high heat with 3 tablespoons of oil. Once fully pre-heated (the oil will move like water in the pan) place about 8 to 10 sage leaves in the pan and let cook for about 30 seconds. (They’ll burn fast, so watch closely!) Remove with a fork or small spatula and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess grease. Sprinkle with salt. They crisp more as they cool. Repeat about 3 times until all of your sage leaves have been fried. (Do not overcrowd the pan.) Set aside.
5. Cook linguine according to package directions. Strain the pasta with a large colander and reserve 1 cup of cooking water. (We recommend straining the pasta in a large colander and then run cold water over to halt the cooking process.)
6. While waiting for the pasta water to boil, place the mostly cooled butternut squash in your blender with 1 cup broth and the parsley.
7. Turn on and work up to high speed until fully pureed and smooth. Add ¼ to ½ cup more broth to thin out if desired. The consistency should be pourable but thick. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. (You’ll most likely need at least ½ teaspoon if using low-sodium broth.) Keep in the blender until pasta has finished cooking.
8. Pour the sauce into your large pot over medium heat and then add the pasta back in. Gently stir to combine and occasionally stir until pasta is heated through. Add a bit of the cooking liquid (or broth) to thin out if needed. Taste and add more salt and pepper then serve immediately.
9. Top with fried sage, salt, pepper, parmesan, and red pepper flakes if desired.
10. To store: Let cool to room temperature then keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Recipe Tips:

When using fresh butternut squash you’ll need about a 2-pound squash. Wash your squash and peel the bulbous end first until you get to the bright orange flesh and see no green streaking. Cut about ¼-inch from the bottom to remove the end. Cut the stem end off the top and then peel the straight portion. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds. Cut into ½-inch thick slices then cube. (If you have excess squash, roast on a separate pan with oil, salt, and pepper, and store in the fridge for 4-5 days.)