Baked Conchiglioni With Sausage Sage Butternut Squash Recipes

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SAUSAGE, SPINACH & MUSHROOM PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 6. Whisk together the vinegar and half the olive oil. Put the squash in a roasting tin and toss with the dressing, the chilli and seasoning. Squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skins, roll into small meatballs (you should have about 35). Arrange around the squash and roast for 35-40 mins, turning halfway, until the squash is tender and the meatballs are caramelised.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, until bubbling. Add the sage and allow to sizzle for a few minutes, or until crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper. By this point, the butter should have browned. Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds, then gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously until you have a smooth sauce, about 7-10 mins. Add the nutmeg and some seasoning, stir in the parmesan until melted, then stir in the mustard.
• Oil a medium-sized baking dish. Cook the pasta following pack instructions until al dente, then drain and run under cold running water. Heat the remaining oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the mushrooms with a pinch of salt for a few minutes, until softened and caramelised. Add the garlic, then the greens, stirring until the greens wilt, then add to the white sauce along with the squash, pasta and half the fried sage, adding up to 50ml milk or water if it's too thick.
• Pour into the baking dish, then add the meatballs. Scatter over the remaining sage, the reserved squash seeds, and grate over the extra parmesan. Roast for 25-30 mins, until golden and bubbling. Allow to settle for 10 mins before serving.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE, SQUASH AND SAGE BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cook the sausage: In a sauté pan or skillet large enough to hold all the pasta, add the sausage and enough cold water to cover. Set over medium-high heat, then remove from the heat when the water hits a boil, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer the sausage to a cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch coins. Dry out the pan and return it to the stove.
• In the same pan, heat the olive oil over high until nearly smoking. Add the sausage and cook, flipping once, until dark brown on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate, then reduce the heat to medium. Add the squash and a pinch of salt to the pan. Let cook, stirring briefly and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
• While the squash is browning, add pasta to boiling water, and cook to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, and drain the pasta.
• When the squash is nicely browned, add the butter and sage and cook until the butter is golden, nutty smelling and foaming, just a minute or two, then immediately remove the pan from the heat and add back the sausage.
• Add the pasta to the pan and mix with the brown-butter sauce (if the pasta has cooled off quite a bit, return the pan to low heat while you combine everything). Stir in the cheese, then add pasta water as needed to smooth the sauce. Adjust with salt and pepper, and serve with extra Parmesan, if you like.

BAKED CONCHIGLIONI WITH SAUSAGE, SAGE & BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Place the squash in a microwavable bowl with 1 tbsp water. Cook in the microwave on High for 10 mins or until soft. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the sage leaves and sizzle for 1 min. Remove the sausages from their skins and divide into small balls about the size of unshelled hazelnuts. Add to the pan and fry until browned. Add half the squash and set aside. Mash the remaining squash with any liquid from the bowl, the nutmeg and seasoning.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour and stir to a paste. Cook for 1-2 mins, stirring the whole time, then gradually mix in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Add the mashed squash, Parmesan and plenty of seasoning. Add 3-4 tbsp of the sauce to the sausage mix to moisten it a little.
• Spread the remaining squash sauce over the base of a large, shallow baking dish. Drain the pasta, but keep a little liquid in the pan to stop the shells from sticking together. Fish any broken bits of pasta out of the pan and scatter these over the sauce. Line up the shells on top, pushing them down into the sauce so only the tops of the shells are poking out. Fill each shell with the sausage mixture. Scatter with fontina or mozzarella, grate over some extra Parmesan and drizzle with a little truffle oil, if you like. Bake for 30 mins or until golden brown.

25-MINUTE CHEESY SAUSAGE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack about 5 inches from the broiling element, and preheat the broiler.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, thinly slice the onion; set aside about 1/3 cup for the salad.
• Add the sausage to the pan, and break it up into smaller chunks with a wooden spoon. Stir periodically until it is brown all over, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining onion and the squash. Stir for a minute, then add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover partially, and let simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thick, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, slice the polenta into 1/4-inch rounds. Butter the flameproof baking dish, and shingle the rounds in one layer. Dot the polenta with the pieces of butter. Place the dish under the broiler, and broil the polenta until it is hot and soft, about 4 minutes.
• When the sauce is ready, spread it over the broiled polenta. Top with the fontina and grated Parmesan. Return the casserole to the broiler, and broil until the top is browned and bubbly, about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss the spinach in a large bowl with the reserved onion, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the casserole with the spinach salad on the side.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place squash halves in a shallow pan and cover with water.
• Roast in the preheated oven until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool partially, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; do not drain fat. Add onion and garlic to sausage and cook and stir over medium-high heat until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
• Remove flesh from squash, leaving 1/3-inch flesh in the shell to keep it sturdy. Mix squash flesh, sausage mixture, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, and cayenne together in a bowl. Stuff squash shells with mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.