Estate Comforts
Butternut Squash Fettuccine Alfredo
The Strategy:
Roasting the butternut squash caramelizes its natural sugars, creating a sweet and velvety base for this autumn-inspired pasta. Infusing the cream sauce with fresh sage leaves adds a sophisticated herbal depth that balances the richness of the Parmesan cheese. Toss the pasta with a splash of the cooking water to ensure the silky sauce coats every single noodle perfectly.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced, about ½ cup
- 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sherry
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup homemade chicken stock or prepared low sodium broth
- 2 large fresh sage leaves
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, about ¼ cup
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 8 ounces fresh fettuccine pasta (you can substitute with dried pasta but cook it longer)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Drizzle the cut side of the butternut squash with olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon chili powder and some of the salt and pepper.
- Place the squash cut-side-down into a rimmed baking sheet.
- Roast until the squash is soft, about 20 to 30 minutes. Scoop out the squash from the skin.
- Place the squash into the bowl of a food processor (or use an immersion blender) to puree.
- Prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook the onion in the butter until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute more.
- Whisk in the sherry until smooth.
- Stir in half-and-half, and chicken stock. Continue to stir until the sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the sage leaves, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to the lowest setting for 2 to 3 minutes so that the sage infuses the sauce.
- Remove the sage leaves from the sauce.
- Stir in the butternut squash puree and Parmesan cheese.
- Season with remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder, salt and pepper.
- Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water until al dente, just a couple of minutes.
- Drain the pasta (reserving some of the cooking liquid) and toss in the sauce. If the sauce is thicker than you like, you can add a ladle or two of pasta water to thin.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Cook’s Tip
Gorgeous butternut squash come in several sizes. You can find smaller ones, but often you’ll find squash that will yield you much more than you need for one recipe. Don’t despair. We can figure this out! Solution numero uno. Simply cut the squash in half, using half for this recipe and reserving half for another use. However, you and I both know that the chances you are going to use but ternut squash twice in a week (about the lifetime of that other half of a squash banned to the vegetable drawer) is slim to none. So, let’s look for another idea. Solution duo. Just purchase the amount you need from the pre-packaged section of your grocery store’s produce aisle. The problem is that this will cost you two or three times as much as purchasing the squash whole. This option also is not the freshest as the squash may have been peeled and chopped days before. Problem solved! Cut up the whole dang thing. Roast half as described in this recipe. Peel and cut the other half into 1-inch chunks. Season and roast alongside the half that you are going to scoop. Reserve the chunks and use them in another recipe. For example, stir them into your chili con carne. Add them to your meatloaf mix. Sautée them with some onions, pour in some chicken stock and puree into a lovely soup. Mix them into your rice side dish and add them to your black beans. Creative cooking is easy when the ingredients are yummy to begin with!
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The Heart of the Table
The warm, golden hue of this fettuccine immediately brightens the table, evoking the cozy feelings of a crisp autumn afternoon. Sharing this dish feels like wrapping your loved ones in a soft blanket, encouraging slow dining and heartfelt conversation over bowls of rich, sage-scented pasta.
- a sleek, solid brass Japanese double jigger with inner measurement lines
- a seamless, high-heat resistant silicone spatula in a soft slate grey
- unbleached, pre-cut parchment paper sheets for clean releases
- pure cotton kitchen twine for secure trussing and styling
- a heavy-gauge, polished stainless steel ladle with an ergonomic handle
- a set of minimalist, mouth-blown crystal coupe glasses with slender stems
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Twirl the fettuccine into deep, warm pasta bowls, topping each serving with a crisp, pan-fried sage leaf and a light grating of fresh Parmesan cheese.
- THE POUR: A buttery, lightly oaked Chardonnay or a warm cup of spiced apple cider infused with a cinnamon stick.
- THE VIBE: Autumn Sunroom. Afternoon light filters through amber leaves while the soothing aroma of butter and sage fills the air, setting a slow and cozy pace.
