The night I made this it was a very ugly day here on the East Coast and there was no way I was going out again after I had arrived home. I had some tortellini and had already picked up a butternut squash earlier in the day. This is what I did. I am just saying that this is very fattening and very delicious and sometimes it just has to happen like this. I mean butter and pasta but what could be more comforting on a cold ugly wet Monday in New York?
* I got my inspiration for this from The Pollan Family Table Cookbook– Cheese Tortellini with Butternut Hash and Toasted Hazelnuts Recipe.
Ingredients:
I used 2 8 oz. packages of Portobello Mushroom Tortellini but you can use cheese if you’d like , I used what I had. I like the homemade kind if you can get a hold of some you’ll need approximately 1 lb. and you can spread this to 1 1/2 lbs. just increase a little butter.
I used about 1/2 lb. of butternut squash. I cut it into small diced 1/2″ pieces.
4 Tablespoons unsalted Butter
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/3 cup blanched raw hazelnuts
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 small cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
I used shredded Parmesan Cheese , you can certainly use grated.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set oven rack to the middle.
Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with Cooking Spray or Parchment Paper
I cut the butternut squash into 1/2″ cubes. I had bought the squash pre-cut and just cut those chunks into smaller cubes , cut into similar sizes for more even cooking.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the squash, oil, 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, and a couple of grinds of the pepper mill. Spread the squash on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until golden brown, about 30 – 45 minutes. I like it browned. You will want to flip it 1/2 way through the cooking time. Remove from oven and set aside.
Place the hazelnuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan a few times to stir the nuts so that they don’t burn. Cook until they begin to brown, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Chop the nuts roughly. Set aside.
Prepare Tortellini according to package directions. Cook al dente. Drain in a colander.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the butter turns brown without burning it, app. 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the butter bubbles and the garlic begins to soften up and brown not burn. Turn off the heat and let it cool down for a few minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of the pepper mill or about 1/8 teaspoon.
Add the drained tortellini and butternut squash to the butter sauce and gently toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts and Parmesan Cheese.
Serve Hot.
Cooking with Candi 