Butternut Squash and Tagliatelle with Red Pepper Sauce, Lemon and Arugula

Butternut Squash and Tagliatelle with Red Pepper Sauce, Lemon and Arugula

4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
14 ounces butternut squash, peeled and seeded, in 1-inch cubes (try pumpkin or sweet potato)
12 ounces tagliatelle, papardelle or any other ribbon pasta
Freshly grated zest and juice of one lemon
4 handfuls of arugula
3 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced
1/2 cup Red Pepper Sauce or more to taste (recipe below)
Kosher salt to taste

1. Make the Red Pepper Sauce. It can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the squash cubes in a single layer, and cook for 10 minutes, turning often, until browned all over. Turn the heat down if they are browning too fast before being cooked all the way through. Reserve in warm pan.

3. Zest and juice the lemon and reserve. Mince the parsley and reserve.

4. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain well. If you are making 4 servings, put all the pasta in a large bowl. Add ½ cup Red Pepper Sauce and toss to coat the pasta. Add the butternut squash, lemon juice and zest, arugula, 1 ½ tablespoons minced parsley and toss to combine.

5. If you are plating individual servings, reserve the lemon juice and zest, and drizzle 2 tablespoons over each plate before serving.

6. Sprinkle remaining minced parsley over each plate and serve.

Ingredients for 1 serving
3 ounces tagliatelle, papardelle or any other ribbon pasta
¼ of cooked butternut squash or to taste
1 handful of arugula
2 teaspoons minced flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons Red Pepper Sauce or more to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice with zest
Kosher salt to taste

Red Pepper Sauce
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
6 long red Thai chilis, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Put the red bell pepper, chiles, onion, garlic, cumin seeds and 1/4 cup oil in a roasting pan. With a spatula, mix to thoroughly coat the vegetables with the oil.

3. Cook in the preheated oven to 1 hour, turning several times.

4. Transfer roasted vegetables to a food processor while still not. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and process until smooth. Let cool and pour into container with tight fitting lid.

Note: Any remaining Red Pepper Sauce can be used as a dip or added to tomato-based sauces and soups for extra flavor. Freeze in 1 tablespoon amounts on plastic wrap on sheet pan and store in a zip-close bag in freezer.