Pasta with Butternut Squash, Bacon, and Brown Butter

1. Stage

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Stage

Roast the squash: On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet, and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing half way through to evenly brown. When it’s ready, the squash will be soft and some of the edges will have browned.

3. Stage

Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente, or according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.

4. Stage

Fry the bacon: In a large, deep skillet (I used cast iron), put the bacon in a cold pan and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

5. Stage

Cook the shallots: Place the skillet back on the stove, but with the heat turned off. Drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Add the shallots and cook in the residual heat from the skillet; this helps prevent the shallots from burning. If they don’t seem to be cooking fast enough, turn the heat to medium-low and cook for just a couple of minutes until they start to soften and become aromatic. Transfer the cooked shallots to a large bowl.

6. Stage

Combine the bacon, shallots, squash and pasta: After the bacon cools, cut it into small pieces using kitchen scissors (or using a chef's knife), and combine with the shallots in a large bowl—or you can use the stockpot you cooked the pasta in (I like to do this if it's just me and the boys). Add the pasta and toss to combine. When the squash comes out of the oven, add the squash to this bowl and toss gently together.

7. Stage

Brown the butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir it constantly and keep an eye on it so it does not burn. It will start to crackle, foam, and smell nutty. The color will deepen to a caramel/amber hue. Around when the butter stops foaming—or at least it starts to subside—and the butter turns slightly brown, add the sage leaves. Remove the saucepan from the heat as soon as the sage leaves start to curl. Pour the butter and the sage leaves into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

8. Stage

Combine, season, and serve: Toss everything gently together with a wooden spoon. Taste and add salt and/or pepper if needed. Serve immediately with freshly grated cheese over the top. If you are feeling extra decadent, add a chunk of unsalted butter or a splash of extra virgin olive oil on top when you toss, or some of the reserved bacon grease. Leftovers keep for about 2 to 3 days and reheat fairly well. I like to add a bit of olive oil or water to the pot when I reheat it over low heat. (I try to avoid microwaving leftover pasta because it just makes it gummy.)