Linguine with Chicken Sausage, Caramelized Butternut Squash & Onions
Chicken sausage. It's a good thing to have around (assuming you eat meat). I have found so many uses for the savory links that keeping them in the freezer just seems practical. This wintery pasta dish features savory browned slices of chicken sausage and is balanced by the sweetness of caramelized onions and butternut squash. Are you salivating yet? I am just writing this.
There's really no sauce required here, just a simple coating of olive oil, a splash of balsamic, a sprinkling of cheese and a dash of sea salt. I love the idea of just tossing pasta with olive oil. It seems so rustic and allows one to really appreciate the texture and flavor of pasta. For this, I used Sunrise Creative Gourmet's butternut squash linguine. A heavy sauce would overpower the subtle butternut flavor. Olive oil allows the subtle earthy sweetness shine through.
Linguine with Chicken Sausage, Caramelized Butternut Squash & Onions
Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. linguine (I used local Sunrise Creative Gourmet's butternut squash flavored linguine)
2 chicken sausages, sliced
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 c. butternut squash, cut into 1/2-in. chunks
1/2 red onion, diced
splash of balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
pinch of sea salt flakes (optional - I used rosemary sea salt, but you could just use coarse Kosher salt)
shaved Parmesan, to serve
Method:
1. Fill a pot with salted water and bring to a boil Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken sausage slices in hot pan and brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside, keeping them warm.
2. Add 1 tbsp. of oil to hot pan and add onions and squash chunks, letting them caramelize and turn golden. Once the water comes to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente (see instructions on package).
3. Once the onions and squash are caramelized add in fresh basil and the cooked chicken sausage slices. Drain pasta, reserving the cooking water, and add to pan with a few spoonfuls of pasta water. Stir and add other tbsp. of olive oil to pan and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Stir again to coat noodles. Sprinkle with fresh basil, sea salt flakes and shaved parmsan.
