Nance’s Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sausage, and Spinach

(kinda blurry picture of delicious pasta)

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I made a pasta recipe that was basically a mac and cheese recipe with some sausage and butternut squash, and my bloggy friend Nance commented about her own sausage and butternut squash recipe.  I wasn’t in love with my recipe, as it was too much like mac & cheese, and I love my own mac & cheese recipe.  But Nance’s recipe sounded lovely, so I decided to try it.  And boy, I’m so very glad I did.  It’s a winner.  Maya’s first bite, she said, “make sure you try a bite with butternut squash and sausage, because they’re delicious together!”  I agree.  Fie to Rachel Ray and her recipe.  I’ll take either mac & cheese, or Nance’s pasta.  It’s so darned good, you’ll thank me for posting it, I mean it.

Nance’s Pasta with Butternut Squash and Sausage
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
1 lb sausage (whatever your favorite is)
1 lb farfalle pasta
1 package, bunch, whatever of fresh spinach
olive oil
salt & pepper

directions
Dice squash, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake for approx 35 minutes at 425 degrees (until soft and maybe a bit caramelized).

Brown sausage, and cook farfalle until it’s cooked as you like.

In a big bowl, first put spinach (so it will wilt when you add hot ingredients), then browned sausage, then roasted butternut squash, then hot cooked pasta. Add freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese. (Nance says Asiago, but we didn’t have any, and I pink puffy heart good Italian Parm, so that’s what we used.)

One more time, this is DELICIOUS. So good. If you’re vegetarian, I have a friend who says there’s a wonderful vegan sausage at Whole Foods, though I can’t remember the name. Though if you’re vegan, that means no cheese, which makes my heart hurt a little.