Anything Goes Pasta | The Fall Edition

Hi folks. Just a quick lil’ post for you today. Happy October 1st! Which, if you live in Alberta, means only a few more weeks until the first snowfall of the season. 🙁 This girl is not looking forward to another winter. Alas…

I wanted to share a quick recipe with you. I made this pasta dish one night earlier this week when I was rushed for time between work and going out for the evening. Most often, I don’t follow a recipe in the kitchen. One of my favorite things to do is look through my fridge and cupboards and pull something together using the ingredients I have on hand. On this particular evening, I was working with half a butternut squash, a zucchini, half a ring of garlic sausage, and a half-box of spaghetti. I wasn’t planning on sharing the “recipe”, but the end result was really good – a great speedy meal for a Fall evening. And it all came together in the time it took to boil the water and cook the pasta. That’s my kind of dinner!

Anything Goes Pasta (Fall)

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

Half of a butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)

1 medium zucchini, cubed

Your favorite garlic sausage, sliced (about 2 cups)

Spaghetti or your favorite pasta, cooked al dente (about 250g)

2 TBSP. olive oil, divided

1 TBSP. butter

1/2 cup (or more) parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Get a large pot of water boiling on the stove. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Combine the butternut squash and zucchini on a large baking sheet, toss with 1 TBSP. of the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes (or until tender and slightly browned), turning once halfway through. Melt the butter and the remaining 1 TBSP. of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add in the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens. Add in the garlic and the sausage, allowing to cook for about 10 minutes. Once the squash and zucchini are ready, add them into the pan. Toss the whole mash with the cooked pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to help everything come together. Add in the cheese, and season with salt and pepper (and another tablespoon of butter, if you’re feeling naughty). Fill your face. Delish!

Up next, more pumpkin! Stay tuned…