Butternut Squash Pancetta Pappardelle
Just right for cool autumn evenings, this pasta dish comes together quickly thanks to a ready-made sauce from Gaby Dalkin, cookbook author and founder of the popular site What’s Gaby Cooking. This savory sauce includes butternut squash, pancetta and two kinds of cheese, all enriched with a touch of cream. To finish the dish, we add slices of roasted butternut squash for sweetness and fresh sage leaves for an earthy aroma.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. (250 g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) slices
- 1 Tbs. avocado or sunflower seed oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 lb. (250 g) dried pappardelle
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) Gaby’s Butternut Squash Pancetta Everything Sauce
- 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- Leaves from 2 or 3 fresh sage sprigs, torn into pieces
- Shaved pecorino romano cheese for serving
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
Directions
Preheat an oven to 425°F (220°C).
In a bowl, toss together the butternut squash and avocado oil, and season generously with kosher salt and pepper. Spread the squash slices in a single layer on a quarter sheet pan. Roast until tender and caramelized around the edges, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) of the pasta cooking water.
A few minutes before the pasta is done, in a large fry pan over low heat, warm Gaby’s Butternut Squash Pancetta Everything Sauce until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss with tongs to coat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and toss again. Cook until the sauce and pasta have melded together and the sauce reaches the desired consistency, adding a bit of the reserved pasta cooking water if desired, about 1 minute. Add the roasted butternut squash and sage, and season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.
Transfer the pasta to individual bowls. Top with shaved pecorino romano, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. Serves 2 to 4.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen in collaboration with Gaby Dalkin