Winter Carbonara with Butternut Squash and Crispy Sage
Earthy winter flavors combine with classic carbonara for an irresistibly satisfying pasta.
Equipment
- Metal Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups butternut squash, cubed
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup cracked black pepper crusted bacon (or guanciale if you can find it)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 1 lb fettuccine (or whatever pasta you like)
- 2 whole large eggs
- 7 egg yolks
- ½ cup pecorino romano, finely grated
- ¼ cup parmesan, finely grated
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 8-10 fresh sage leaves
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- On a baking sheet, drizzle the butternut squash cubes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast the butternut squash until soft, about 20-25 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the bacon. In a large skillet, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil with the bacon, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves and cook over medium high heat, stirring often. Cook until the bacon is well rendered and golden, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the fettucine to the boiling water and cook, about 2 minutes less than indicated on the package.
- Meanwhile, in a *metal* bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, pecorino romano, parmesan, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and pumpkin puree.
- When the pasta is ready to remove from the water, use tongs or pasta spoon to scoop the pasta into the skillet with the bacon, leaving the pasta water boiling in the pot.
- Stir to combine the bacon and rendered fat with the pasta. Meanwhile, measure ½ cup pasta water and slowly whisk it into the egg and cheese mixture.
- Pour the pasta-bacon mixture into the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture. Place the metal bowl over the pot of still boiling pasta water, and rapidly stir the pasta and egg mixture.Continue to stir until the sauce becomes just barely thickened and very creamy, about 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat.*If you don't have a metal bowl, you can do this step by pouring the pasta and egg mixture back into the skillet over *very low heat* and stirring quickly, being careful to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- Stir the roasted squash into the pasta.
- Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Fry the sage leaves until crispy, about 20 seconds per side.
- Serve the pasta, topping each serving with a few crispy sage leaves, 1 tablespoon pomegranate arils, and extra cheese if desired.