1 lb of rigatoni
1 butternut squash, halved and deseeded
6 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tbsp of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of vegetable stock or water
1/2 cup heavy cream
flaky salt
black pepper
4 sage leaves, fried
begin by cutting the butternut squash in half lengthways and remove the seeds. liberally coat both sides of the squash in extra virgin olive oil and salt.
on a baking sheet set the squash cut side down and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hr or until fork tender.
once cool enough to handle, remove the squash flesh from the skin using a spoon, and add the flesh to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. set aside for later.
next get a large pot of salted water boiling, ready for the pasta.
next add the onion and garlic to a skillet with a little olive oil and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. add a pinch of salt and a few twists of black pepper.
next add the red pepper flakes and then the roasted butternut squash puree, and cook until the puree slightly thickens and darkens in color (approx. 5 minutes).
deglaze the mixture with a little vegetable stock, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan (this is all flavor).
very slowly add in the cream and reduce the heat to a low simmer.
drain the pasta and reserve one cup of pasta water.add the cooked pasta to the sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. the sauce should be thick, emulsified and glossy. serve in your favorite bowl with flaky salt, extra red pepper flakes, more extra virgin olive oil and a few fried sage leaves to finish.
