Savory Pleasure -Winter Squash with Tagliatelle

Pasta of the Week

One of my favorite Italian cookbooks is the classic, Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, by Pellegrino Artusi. It was first published in 1891 and is still in print. It is so much more than a cookbook. Artusi gives insights into Italian culture and many aspects of the human experience. For example, he takes digestion very seriously. Flatulence can certainly be an embarrassment and at the worst, downright mortifying. Artusi takes care to protect us from this horrible occurrence by explaining which food combinations are potentially dangerous.

I bring up Artusi because of his humorous insight into this week’s pasta: tagliatelle (tiny strips). Wider than fettuccini but narrower than pappardelle, these strips are the Holy Grail of pasta shapes in Bologna. The tagliatelle’s official size, registered in the Academia Italiana della Cucina (Italian Academy of Cooking), should measure 1 mm thick and 6 mm wide. However, the residents of Bologna consider the competence of a good cook by the length of the noodles. Artusi writes, “‘Bills should be short and tagliatelle long,’ the people of Bologna say, and they are right, because long bills terrify poor husbands and short tagliatelle look like leftovers, attesting to the incompetence of their maker.”

For this recipe, I took the easy route and used dried tagliatelle. Because the noodles are so long, they come in cute little clusters in the package. Next week we will venture into the world of fresh pasta, so stay tuned.

Kabocha and Red Kuri winter squashes work best for this dish:

Kabocha

Red Kuri

To the cook:
Peeling and cutting hard winter squash such as Kabocha or Red Kuri can be challenging. Try placing the whole squash in a 325 F oven for 15 minutes prior to cutting. Once it has cooled, use a Y-peeler to remove skin and a sharp knife will cut through with much less effort.

To rinse or not to rinse:
Do not rinse pasta after draining because you want the sauce and all of its flavor to soak into the pasta. For best results, when the pasta is done cooking, lift it directly out of the cooking water with a spider or slotted spoon and plop it directly into the sauce.

For a grain-free pasta alternative, try this chick-pea flour pasta.

Winter Squash and Tagliatelle Bake

• Servings: 4
• Print

This dish is a favorite in Southern Italy.

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Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 5 – 6 red chili peppers, seeded and diced (I like Cherry Bombs)
• 1 8.8 oz package tagliatelle bundles, dry or homemade
• 14 ounces winter squash, peeled and sliced into thin pieces
• 1 cup (3 oz) Pecorino Romano
• 1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 6-7 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (cut into thin ribbons) or 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat 6 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat in a 12 – 14 inch heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) and saute onion and chili peppers for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
2. Add squash and salt to skillet and saute at medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Squash should be cooked through but not mushy.
3. Meanwhile, in an 8 quart stock pot, start pasta water, add salt and turn on high. Cook tagliatelle according to package directions. (If using fresh pasta, cook for 5 minutes until slightly al dente.)
4. When tagliatelle is done, save 1/2 cup of cooking water. Lift the pasta directly out of the cooking water with a spider or slotted spoon and plop it directly into the squash mixture.
5. Next, add basil and cooking water to the squash mixture.
6. Stir everything together for 1-2 minutes to completely coat the tagliatelle.
7. Sprinkle generously with  grated Pecorino Romano cheese and serve immediately.
This makes a great main dish. It is hearty and the savory squash and pasta together are really satisfying. Wine pairing suggestion: Semi dry white with a bit of sweetness.

Here is a possible alternative- Spinach pasta!