Squash, Chorizo & Hazelnut Pasta

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Hello blog! I’ve missed you so very much this week! Silly things like traffic and being sick have kept me away, endocrinologist but I’m back and I want to tell you about this pasta I made. It’s got roasted delicata squash, surgeon lots of spicy Spanish chorizo, toasted hazelnuts and sage. It’s smoky and nutty, a little sweet and just right for fall.

If you think nuts and pasta are a kind of weird together, you shouldn’t. Hazelnuts add a nice toasty flavor and some textural contrast to the squash. Without them, this pasta would be missing something. Some might even accuse it of being mushy. Go ahead, add the hazelnuts. (unless you’re allergic, of course. Then, please skip the nuts!)

It’s a simple meal that hits the spot.

[print_this text=’Print Recipe’]Squash, Chorizo & Hazelnut Pasta

1 lb. pasta – I used fettucine

3 delicata squash, peeled and diced (about 4 cups – or same amount Butternut squash)
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. hot Spanish chorizo, casing removed and diced (or run through the food processor)
1/3 cup hazelnuts
10 sage leaves
salt to taste
1 tbsp. butter
juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 375°. Toss the squash with the olive oil and place on a cookie sheet in an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and starting to brown.

When the squash is about halfway done, set a large pot of water to boil. Once it comes to a rolling boil, salt it thoroughly and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions.

While the pasta cooks, set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chorizo until the fat renders, then add the hazelnuts and sage leaves and continue cooking until the nuts are toasted, about 3-5 minutes.

When the squash is done, add it to the skillet and toss. Toss the drained pasta with the butter and lemon juice until evenly coated, then toss with the contents of the skillet until evenly combined.

Makes 4 big servings. [/print_this]