I got this recipe from Bon Appetit magazine. It was one of those recipes where you’re flipping through casually, and it just jumps out and forces you to pause. I ripped it out and, since my family was planning a weeklong vacation the next week, it moved straight to the top of the list. VIP treatment for this recipe. Which is fitting, because it feels like a VIP meal, despite being incredibly easy. I think the best sort of fall and winter meal is the kind that is easy to make, feels hearty, and is deceptively nourishing. This ticks all those boxes.
As we were eating it, my family pointed out that this has all the food groups you need. Carbs, protein, vegetable, and even a fruit. It’s a perfect meal. It tastes like comfort food but secretly has all you need. The squash softens up to become the sauce, so it feels luxurious and rich, but it’s actually just squash. Extra bonus points if you are like my mom and don’t actually like squash.
The dates and squash actually bring a sweetness to this that shouldn’t have been unexpected, but struck me on the first bite. It was good – a sweetness tempered by some salt and the savory-ness of the sausage. It could be fun to play with this recipe a bit and see what spices might be good with it – something with a bit more kick to go with the sweetness? Food for thought.
I used this pasta that I found at Target and impulse purchased because it looks like little pumpkins! It’s also the perfect pasta shape for a dish like this, since there’s a little pocket for some sauce to get tucked away. It would also probably be great with this pumpkin mac and cheese.
Since I made this one vacation with my family, I of course needed to get their reactions. I consider it like the critics review section:
- “Remarkable, unique, not a combination of flavors you taste very often.”
- “Amazingly tasty even for people who think they don’t like squash.”
- “Fine dining.”
I’ll be honest, I skimmed this recipe and then said, “Yeah, I know how to make this,” and I did not consult it once while I was cooking. It turns out I changed quite a bit, so the below recipe doesn’t really match the magazine. However, I think it still turned out excellent!
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Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash (1½–2 lb.), peeled, halved, seeds removed, cut into 1″ pieces (about 6 cups)
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- You can also use other squash! I used two small delicate squash.
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more as desired for seasoning
- 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound ground sausage
- 12 Medjool dates, pitted, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 6 garlic cloves, diced
- ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 17 oz. pasta of choice (I used this pasta, the original recipe suggests rigatoni)
Instructions
- Cook squash in a large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, 12-14 minutes. (If you finish cooking the squash before you’re done with the other pan, use a slotted spoon to transfer the squash to a medium bowl, but keep the water boiling.)
- Simultaneously, teat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large high-sided skillet or a medium Dutch oven over medium-high. Add garlic until just fragrant. Then, add the sausage and break up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Cook, undisturbed, until deeply browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over and just cooked through, 3-4 minutes more. Transfer to a plote with a slatted spoon.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the chopped dates to the same pan, and cook until deeply browned, 3-4 minutes.
- Then, add in the squash. Use a slotted spoon to transfer from the pot, or from the reserved bowl. Season with salt.
- Cook, scraping up browned bits and smashing squash with spoon to break up, until lightly browned and broken up into a chunky paste (pieces do not need to be even), about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start cooking the pasta in the still-boiling water until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions (it will finish cooking in sauce). Drain, reserving 3 cups pasta cooking liquid.
- Add 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to the squash mixture, and stir it all together to get a saucy consistency.
- Add the pasta and another 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until pasta is al dente and coated in sauce, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and taste pasta. Add more salt and / or pepper if needed.
Notes
Adapted from Bon Appetit