Meatless Monday: Creamy Brie, Leek & Butternut Squash Pasta
Brie cheese has the powers to turn into the easiest, creamiest pasta sauce. It's SO low maintenance compared to making a typical cheese sauce starting with butter, flour and milk. Somehow I didn't realize this until I cobbled this together. At first I was debating whether or not to do a whole standard cheese sauce song and dance. Feeling lazy, I decided to skip that and just pop it all in the oven, let the brie melt and it'd turn into more of a pasta bake instead. I then became too hungry to wait out baking, so I took a chance and threw the cheese in the pan and hoped for the best. The best meaning that the brie would magically melt into something luscious and creamy.
Ask and you shall receive, because MAN this cheese...with the added loveliness of starchy pasta water, it transformed into a velvety sauce like I never would've imagined. It's not a heavy sauce, but almost more of a glaze for a spring pasta dish. What's equally exciting is the fact that I got the wedge at Whole Foods for $2.99 and it wasn't even on sale. Heck yes.
Speaking of spring dishes, nothing screams spring to me more so than leeks. For some reason when I see leeks in a pasta recipe, it automaticaly turns into a spring pasta regardless of the other ingredients. I love spring and fall, as they're transitions into the harsher realties of winter and summer in Minnesota (yes, it gets really hot and humid here in the summer, as it does bone-chillingly cold in the winter). I think that's why these flavors work so well together; leeks being prevalent in spring, and butternut squash and sage in the fall. So, enjoy the transitional yin and yang flavors.
Creamy Brie, Leek & Butternut Squash Pasta
Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, rinsed, trimmed & sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced or sliced
1.5 c. butternut squash, cut into 1-in. chunks (I like to buy it pre-cut at Trader Joe's, it saves so much time and I think a 12 oz. bag of was only $2-3)
small handful of fresh sage leaves, freshly ripped or minced + more for garnish
1/2 lb. your favorite pasta
small wedge of creamy brie cheese, cut into 1-in. chunks
reserved pasta cooking water
butter (optional)
salt/pepper & red pepper flakes (optional), to taste
Parmsan cheese, to top
Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan or Dutch oven. Once shimmering, add leeks to pan and start to saute. Continue to do so until they soften and turn golden. Add in minced garlic and stir a minute more until the garlic is fragrant. Add butternut squash chunks and sage, continue to saute.
2. Meanwhile, start cooking your pasta by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just al dente, as you will be adding it in with the vegetables and you don't want it to become mushy.
3. Once the butternut squash turns slightly golden, add in half of the brie cheese chunks and stir until melted. Add a bit of the pasta water to the pan. Once pasta is just done, add to pan with squash, reserving the cooking liquid. Add the rest of the brie and stir again. Add more reserved pasta water, large spoonfuls at a time, until a sauce forms with the brie. A small pat of butter here may help bring the sauce together, as well.
4. Remove from heat. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (optional) and more sage. Top with Parmesan cheese shavings if desired.
