Ingredients

6 servings

　　1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

　　6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt, optional

　　1 pound penne pasta

　　1 large onion, finely chopped

　　4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano cheese

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

　　1 teaspoon black pepper

　　

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

　　

Step 2

2. Toss the squash cubes in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt (if using) and mix well. Spread onto a baking pan in a single layer and roast for 20 to 30 minutes until soft. Increase the oven temperature to broil and broil the squash for 2 minutes more.

　　

Step 3

3. When the squash is almost done, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt (if using) and the penne and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

　　

Step 4

4. Place half of the squash into a blender along with the reserved pasta water and puree until it is smooth. It should have the consistency of tomato sauce.

　　

Step 5

5. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the onion and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt (if using) and cook until the onion is softened.

　　

Step 6

6. Add the squash puree and roasted squash cubes to the onion, and sauté for 1 minute.

　　

Step 7

7. Stir in the drained pasta, and remove the pan from the heat.

　　

Step 8

8. Stir in the Parmigiano, parsley, and pepper, and drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil.

　　From The Mediterranean Family Table © 2015 by Angelo Acquista, Laurie Anne Vandermolen. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.

　　Reprinted with permission from William Morrow Cookbooks.