Gemelli with Butternut Squash, Sausage and Kale

In the late Fall, when butternut squash is abundant, there’s nothing more satisfying than sautéing it with sage and sweet Italian sausage for a super-quick and delicious one-dish meal. All those hearty flavors scream comfort food— cause isn’t that all we really want these days? Don’t forget that drizzle of balsamic at the end— that caramel-y hit of acid is the perfect finishing touch.

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Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

¾ lb. gemelli pasta or other spiral pasta
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups butternut squash, cut into ½” dice
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
⅛ tsp chili flake
1 bunch sage leaves (approximately 12 leaves)
1 tsp maple syrup
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ cup grated pecorino, plus more for serving
2 handfuls baby kale

METHOD

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 3-4 tbsp kosher salt. Reduce to a simmer.

In a large pan with straight sides over medium heat, toast walnuts until fragrant 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a small dish and set aside. Wipe pan clean and add olive oil, garlic, butternut squash, chili flake, salt and pepper and sauté for 8-9 minutes until tender and deep golden brown. Halfway thru, add sage leaves and maple syrup and stir to combine. If pan gets too dry, add a splash of water. Transfer to a dish and set aside.

Bring pasta pot back to high heat. When water is boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente, approximately 9 minutes.

While pasta is cooking, sauté the sausage in pan for 8-9 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon into small bit size pieces until golden brown in spots and cooked thru. Add squash back to pan and mix to combine.

Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Add pasta to pan, along with pecorino, balsamic vinegar and kale. Add pasta water, ¼ cup at a time and more if needed, until pasta is coated and glossy. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately, with more pecorino alongside.