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November 19, 2015

Butternut Carbonara

Squash is not a popular item on our table, unless it comes from the grill… So this time, I neglected to inform my taste-testers of this month’s Improv Cooking Challenge ingredients. I just knew that if I tossed in some bacon, chances of the dish being devoured would go way up!EJ-squasage6

For this recipe you will need:

    • butternut squash
    • drizzle of olive oil
    • 4 oz. salted butter
    • 12 fresh sage leaves (small to medium)
    • 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
    • 2 oz. bacon crumbles
    • Parmesan cheese (freshly shred about 2 oz.)

I went to Sprouts and bought the largest butternut squash I could find -- which proved to be slightly problematic for my little Veggetti. Cut off the bulbous portion, seed it & roast separately for some other use. Cut off the stem end and peel the rest of the squash.  Use a spiralizing tool to make “noodles”.  Place the butternut noodles onto a silicone baking sheet in a pan and drizzle with a little olive oil.EJ-squasage1Bake at 400° for about 7 or 8 minutes. (We prefer most pastas al dente, so I didn’t want them too soft…)

While the squash is baking, brown the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.EJ-squasage3When it starts browning, add the sage leaves and minced garlic. It takes only a minute or so for them to cook.EJ-squasage4Gently toss in the butternut noodles from the oven.EJ-squasage2Add the bacon.EJ-squasage5After plating the finished noodles, sprinkle with a generous amount of Parmesan.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much the fellas enjoyed dinner! They had seconds and asked for more, but the skillet was empty…EJ-squasage6

 

Want some more squash & sage recipes? Click the links below to see what my fellow Improvers prepared for you today: