Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Leeks Walnuts and Roquefort (Meatless Monday)
 
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Roasted Butternut Squash is paired with leeks, sherry, cream, sage and thyme then topped with toasted walnuts and Roquefort cheese for a super simple, elegant entree to add to your Meatless Monday dining.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
  • 2 cups peeled, seeded, cubed butternut squash (about ½" cubes)
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon rubbed sage, divided
  • salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup sliced leeks, washed and drained
  • 4-6 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry (or a dry white wine)
  • ½ - ¾ cup heavy cream (you could use half & half or milk), adjusted for desired thickness
  • ½ cup walnut pieces, toasted
  • 2 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
  • 8 ounces pasta in your favourite shape (I used Gigli) cooked according to package instructions for al dente
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  2. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  3. In a medium-sized bowl, add the cubed butternut squash and the olive oil.
  4. Sprinkle on ¼ teaspoon of the sage, reserving the other ¼ teaspoon for later, and add salt and pepper.
  5. Toss to coat the squash.
  6. Place the squash on the parchment lined baking sheet and place the baking sheet into the preheated oven.
  7. Allow to roast for 20 minutes.
  8. While the squash is roasting, put a saucepan of salted water on to boil for the pasta. When the pasta is done, drain in a colander set over a bowl to catch the pasta water. Hold for later.
  9. Wile the pasta is cooking, in a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter.
  10. Add the leeks, the remaining ¼ teaspoon of sage and the thyme leaves (pulled from the stems) and allow to cook for about 4 minutes.
  11. Add the sherry to the leeks and allow to cook for another couple of minutes.
  12. Take half of the roasted butternut squash and add it to the leek mixture.
  13. Using a fork, or a potato masher, coarsely mash the butternut squash.
  14. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine.
  15. Adjust salt and ground black pepper, to taste.
  16. Prior to serving, dump the cooked pasta from the colander back into the reserved pasta water and drain again. This will reheat the pasta.
  17. Add the pasta to a plate or pasta bowl, top with the creamed butternut squash mixture, add remaining cubed butternut squash, walnut pieces and Roquefort crumbles.
  18. Serve hot.
Recipe by The Saucy Southerner at http://www.thesaucysoutherner.com/roasted-butternut-squash-pasta-with-leeks-walnuts-and-roquefort-meatless-monday/