An easy Friday night dinner to prepare and just relax. Pour a glass of wine , kick off the shoes, and set the table. Be sure to light the candle(s) to set the mood.
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, grated and divided
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 butternut squash peeled, halved and seeds removed
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 6-8 sage leaves, tear into small pieces
- 10-12 oz. button mushrooms, brushed and quartered
- 3/4 lbs. penne pasta
Preheat oven to 425. Toss the breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp. cheese and a pinch of salt.
Pour yourelf a glass of wine and begin. Cut the squash into 1/4 inch pieces. Toss squash with 3 tbsp. of oil , add the sage leaves and spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
Brush the mushrooms with remaining oil. Push the squash over in the pan and add the mushrooms, roasting for 10 minutes. Flip the vegetables and bake a further 20 minutes or until tender and golden in colour.
Remove the squash from the oven and sprinkle the mushrooms with the breadcrumb mixture and return to roast another 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, add the pasta and remaining cheese and add the vegetables. Gently stir (or toss) to combine.
More wine, perhaps?
If necessary, add a touch of pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Drizzle with more oil and cheese if warranted.
While this is happening, boil the penne in salted water and cook according to instructions.
Ladle into your prettiest Italian pasta bowls and enjoy. You can now exclaim….thank goodnss for Fridays.
Gnocchi With Browned Butter and Crisped Sage Leaves
If you are adept at making light and fluffy gnocchi go for it BUT if not, buy them at your nearest Deli and go from there.
- 1/2 lb. uncooked gnocchi
- 1/4 cup butter
- 7-8 fresh sage leaves (your own garden, perhaps?)
- 1 lemon, juiced
Bring water to the boil and cook the gnocchi for about 4-5 minutes until they float. Strain.
In a frypan, melt the butter. Add the gnocchi and toss to coat. Add the sage leaves. Cook on medium heat until the gnocchi is lightly brown and the leaves are crispy.
Add the lemon juice at the very end when the butter is a nice golden brown.
Now to serve this with panache, it should be paired with NK’Mip’s Chardonnay. Perfect match.
Gnocchi With Browned Butter
I have to admit it took me awhile to like gnocchi. We were in Maui at one of the Hotels for a dinner out and they had pumpkin gnocchi. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It was out of this world.
This recipe, although not pumpkin, is just as good, provided you cook them until they are browned.
- 1 1/2 lbs. gnocchi (simple, buy ready made)
- 1/4 cup butter or more (do not use margarine)
- 7 fresh sage leaves
- 1 whole lemon, juiced
In a larage saucepot, boil water. Add the gnocchi and cook for about 4 minutes – until they float to the top. Strain.
In a fry pan, melt the butter (add more as you wish) and add the gnocchi and toss. Add the sage leaves. Cook, turning often until lightly browned and the sage leaves are crispy.
When the butter is nicely browned (not burned), add the lemon juice.
OMG this is good. If you wish, serve with a chilled Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.
My mouth is watering…..supper is hours away.