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CONCHIGLIE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SAGE BUTTER

 

In My Kitchen
by Annie Bell
Here conchiglie shells are tossed into a pan of caramelized butternut squash, the roasting juices coating the pasta, with some melted butter and crisp sage leaves for good measure.
Serves 4


Ingredients
• 2 butternut squash (approximately 1 3/4 lb each)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt, black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 10oz conchiglie shells
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• small handful sage leaves
• freshly grated Parmesan to serve


Directions
Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the skin off the squash, quarter the bulbs to remove the seeds, and slice these sections into wedges. Halve the remaining cylindrical trunks lengthwise and slice 1/2in thick. Arrange the squash in a baking pan in a crowded single layer (I use one 15 x 10in). Drizzle over the olive oil, season, and roast for about 55 minutes until nicely caramelized, turning the squash after 25 minutes. Scatter the garlic over the squash and give them another stir 15 minutes before the end.

Halfway through cooking the squash, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the conchiglie, give it a stir, and cook until just tender—most dried varieties take about 10 minutes.

Five minutes before the pasta is ready, melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, skim off the surface foam, decant the clarified butter into a small bowl, and discard the milky residue in the base. Return the clarified butter to the pan and heat, scattering the sage leaves over the surface. Cook until they darken in color and crisp, then remove from the heat.

Drain the pasta into a sieve, add it to the roasting pan and, using a spatula, gently turn it to coat with the oil and sticky roasting juices. Spoon the butter and sage leaves on top, scatter over some more seasoning, and gently toss again. Serve accompanied by the Parmesan.