From “Nigella Kitchen,” by Nigella Lawson. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash, approximately 3 pounds
1 medium-large onion
2 tablespoons regular olive oil
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons marsala cooking wine (optional; you may substitute water or stock)
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
2/3 cup pine nuts
1 pound pappardelle or other robust pasta
6 fresh sage leaves
5 ounces soft blue cheese, such as Saint Agur
Directions
Peel and seed the squash, and cut into roughly 1-inch cubes.
Peel and finely chop the onion and fry in the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan that can accommodate the pasta later. When the onion starts to become golden, add the paprika.
Tumble in the cubes of squash, and then add the butter, turning everything together in the pan. Once the squash is slicked with the oniony oil and butter, add the marsala and water. Let the pan come to a bubble, then put the lid on, turn down the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, put a large saucepan of water on for the pasta, adding salt only when it comes to a boil; and toast the pine nuts separately in a hot, dry frying pan on the stove top until scorched a dark gold, then tip them into a bowl or plate to cool.
Lift the lid off the squash pan, and check if the butternut is tender; if not, then cook for a little longer without the lid on — the squash should hold its shape and not turn into mush. Once it’s ready, season to taste — go easy with the salt because the blue cheese will add extra saltiness later — and take off the heat and let it wait for its happy union with the pappardelle.
Cook the pasta following the package instructions, though check a couple of minutes before the manufacturer declares it will be ready. While waiting for your pasta to cook — you should give the pan a loose stir or swirl every now and again — you can finely chop the sage leaves and crumble the cheese. Sprinkle most of the sage over the squash, keeping some back, and give a quick stir; but keep the cheese for now.
Before you drain the pappardelle, lower a mug or cup into the pan and collect a little pasta cooking water, then tip the drained pasta into the resting sage-sprinkled squash pan and slowly turn the pasta in the sauce to combine. If you find the sauce too dry, or if it all needs a little help coming together, add some of the pasta cooking water — the starch in it encourages the sauce to emulsify, the better to cling to pasta.
Drop in the crumbled cheese and about half the pine nuts, then — much as though you were tossing a salad — gently combine, before sprinkling the other half of the pine nuts and the reserved sage on top.
