Mangia

Chunky-Cream Butternut Squash Sauce

Serves 2 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 4 ounces peeled and cubed butternut squash ½ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 12 sage leaves, thinly sliced ½ cup water ¼ cup heavy cream 1 ounce freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. 2. Add the squash, and season with the salt, pepper, and sage. 3. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes, shaking the pan often. 4. Pour in ½ cup of water and cover with a tight-fitting lid. (If you prefer a sauce with a touch of bright acidity, feel free to use white wine instead of water.) 5. Cook 20 minutes or until just tender. When the squash is cooked, the water should not have been completely absorbed by the squash; if it has, add a splash more. 6. Uncover the pan. Crush gently with a fork into a coarse, chunky purée. 7. Add the cream and drop to a gentle simmer to keep warm while you cook the pasta. 8. Make the pasta. Remove the pasta and add to the squash in the pan. 9. Stir in the Parmigiano. Dilute with some of the reserved pasta cooking water if needed. 10. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. 11. Serve hot, sprinkled with additional pepper.

Pass additional Parmigiano at the table if desired.

Chunky-Cream Butternut Squash Sauce

Chunky Mascarpone, Walnut, and Basil Sauce

Serves 2 2.6 ounces imported Italian Mascarpone 0.5 ounces fresh basil leaves (about 20 leaves), washed thoroughly and blotted dry, stems removed, cut into julienne 1 ounce freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 1 ounce shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. 2. Make pasta. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, adding about 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to the sauce first and stirring it in with a rubber spatula. 3. Stir the pasta into the sauce and add additional pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a sauce with the right coating consistency. 4. Adjust the seasoning, and serve hot, dusted with additional Parmigiano.

Chunky Mascarpone, Walnut, and Basil Sauce.

(Photo Courtesy of Rustico Cooking)

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