Butternut Squash Pasta

Well I am on a roll here with these homemade recipes. Trying to get creative and it's working! Nothing like patting yourself on the back, right? :) Well remember my last post, the Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Bruschetta? Well I used my leftovers and voila, I came up with tonight's dinner. I omitted the goat cheese this time, but man did that butternut squash mixture make for a fantastic "sauce" of sorts for some pasta. So without further ado, I present to you...Butternut Squash Pasta. I apologize in advance, as I have no play-by-play pictures. I honestly wasn't sure if what I was coming up with was blog worthy, but in the end, it was! So you get the final look..the leftovers in a Tupperware container! :) 

Butternut Squash Mixture:

• 1 medium butternut squash - diced and separated into two bowls
•  2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (additional may be needed for thinning out mixture)
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced (I use a garlic press) 
• 1 small onion 

Roasted Butternut Squash:

• 2nd half of the diced butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Salt & Pepper

Sauce:

• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1-2 jalapenos, minced 
• 1 bunch of scallions, whites and green separated and each finely chopped
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• Parmesan cheese 

Preheat the oven to 475.

Wash and peel the butternut squash. Cut into 1/2 slices and continue to cut into small cubes. Dice the onion.  
Toss the first half of the butternut squash with white wine vinegar, EVOO, thyme, sage, S&P, red pepper flakes and garlic. Add the onions and toss to coat. Let stand for 10-15 minutes.  
Saute the butternut squash mixture over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Remove from heat and let cool. 
Add the mixture to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. If additional liquid is needed to smooth out the mixture, add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Set aside. 

Line a cookie sheet with foil and lay out the second half of the diced butternut squash. Toss with 2 tablespoons of EVOO, the nutmeg and salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is tender and brown on the edges. Remove from the oven. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the penne according to the package directions. Reserve one cup of cooking liquid. 

While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeno(s) ans scallion whites. Saute for 1 minute and then add the chicken broth. Reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes. Add the butternut squash mixture to the pan and use the reserved cooking water to thin out the mixture. 

Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the sauce. Add the scallion greens, the roasted butternut squash and the Parmesan cheese. Enjoy! :)