Fettuccine with Butternut Squash Alfredo

Fall is here. Well, almost. I have to tell you that this is the first year that I was not ready for fall. Usually, I get excited about all the things that fall brings for me – fall colors, boots, coats, cider, the warm spices, pumpkin and squashes and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. This year, it was not that exciting, for some reason. I got upset when I started to see the stores putting out Halloween and harvest goodies. I got upset when Starbucks announced the arrival of Pumpkin Spice Latte. I was upset to see fall recipe starting to show up on my feed and all my favorite food related magazine having fall recipes on their cover. It really was upsetting.

I know we had a really great summer this year and I should be thankful for it and welcome the new season. I think I had gotten used to summer and the warm weather. The comfort of stepping out in just one layer of clothes and sandals. The comfort of enjoying our dinners sitting out on the deck. The comfort of it being still bright outside at 8.00 pm. I had gotten a little too comfortable with all that. But life doesn’t let you be that way. Change happens and you better embrace it and go along with it. That is what I am doing now and I think I am slowly warming up to the idea of autumn.

I made this creamy, luscious, everything fall – fettuccine with butternut squash alfredo as a start to embrace the new season and guess what! We all loved it! I think I am ready for you, fall! Bring it on!

And here is a video of the recipe, my first time doing a video recipe. I need to work a lot lot more on the light, the angle, using a tripod for my camera and all that. But this is a beginning and I am super excited about it.

Fettuccine with Butternut Squash Alfredo – The Recipe

Ingredients

For the pasta:

• 1 lb fettuccine
• 4 quarts water
• 1 tsp salt

For the butternut squash alfredo

• 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb butternut squash, cubed
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup grated parmesan + 6 tbsp more, for serving
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 8-10 sage leaves, sliced thinly

Method

• Bring the 4 quarts of water to a boil, add salt and cook the fettuccine till al dente. Drain the pasta, after reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water
• In a wide pan, heat the 2 tbsp butter, add the garlic, wait till it becomes fragrant. Add the butternut squash cubes, salt and pepper and the stock and reserved pasta water.
• Let it cook till the water almost evaporates. Mash the butternut squash with the back of a wooden ladle.
• Add the heavy cream, cheese and nutmeg and mix well. Let it all come together for 3 minutes under medium heat.
• Add the pasta to this and mix well. Switch off heat.
• In a separate pan, heat the 1 tbsp butter and fry the sage leaves till crispy.
• Serve the pasta in individual pasta bowls and top with a tbsp of Parmesan and some fried sage leaves.