Pasta with Brown Butter, Kabocha and Sage
If you can’t find kabocha in your grocery store or farmer’s market, butternut squash will work well here as well.

Ingredients:
1 small kabocha squash (or butternut squash) about 2 pounds, quartered
½ cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
8 oz egg pasta (I used egg papardelle)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil, for brushing

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the squash on a baking sheet, and brush the squash quarters with a little bit of olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and let cool. When squash is cool enough to touch, cut it into ½ – to ¾-inch cubes (without the skin). Set aside. Fill a large pot with water, add some salt to it – this is what water for pasta.

Meanwhile, in a small pan, over medium heat, toast the pine nuts 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown, taking care not to burn them. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter and cook over low heat – about 10 minutes – until it gets darker in color and the solid start to turn golden brown to milk chocolate brown. Remove from heat. Don’t burn the butter, or if you do, start over with this step.

By now the water should be boiling. Toss the pasta in the water and cook according to the packaging instructions. Drain, and toss with the brown butter, kabocha, pinenuts and 1 ½ tablespoons sage. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve immediately, garnishing with the remaining sage.

Serves 4.