 Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pancetta
- One 1 3/4-pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (2 cups)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 3/4 pound past, we prefer rigatoni
- 3 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 12 sage leaves, torn
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Monchego cheese, plus more for serving
Preheat the oven to 425°. On a medium, rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes, tossing once, until browned and tender; season with salt.
Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni until just al dente. Drain then reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the pancetta and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots, sage, crushed red pepper and a generous pinch of black pepper and cook until the shallots are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the squash, rigatoni and the reserved cooking water and cook over moderate heat, tossing gently, until the sauce is thickened and the pasta is al dente, 2 to 3 minutes; season with salt. Stir in the 1/2 cup of Monchego Cheese.
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