pasta with roasted squashes, bacon, and brown butter

Last pickings from the garden and farmers market veggies: beautiful roasted squash chunks, baby tomatoes, basil, thyme, bacon ,and brown butter. Sprinkle with nutmeg and parmesan curls and bless the season!


I'll post the recipe later - my daughter needs a ride to pick up her medication and here in the country, that means HOURS. *

Back again, after a wild and beautiful ride through villages I've never seen before. My daughter and her family have moved out of the city to a charming hillside cottage, surrounded by acres of mowed fields and working farms and sugarhouses. On the way, I drove over Pitcher Mountain and stopped to say hello to the Highland cattle there - the photo above doesn't have the long horns the Highland have, or the shaggy coat, but she ( or he) is utterly charming and docile.

So now, let's get to the delightful pasta! I used much of the odd halves of squashes, the handful of cherry tomatoes, the half a red pepper, and the gleanings of the last fresh herbs from the garden. A glaze of nutmeg and brown butter tossed with the spaghetti and veggies make it taste nutty and rich - topped off with parmesan or Pecorino and minced fresh herbs, it's even better.

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 425F.

3 sliced garlic cloves

3 cups cubed squashes ( I used pattypan and butternut)

1 small white onion, peeled and sliced

2 T. olive oil

a handful of cherry tomatoes

1/2 t. kosher salt

freshly cracked pepper to taste

1/2 red pepper, sliced

6 strips thick bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 package thin spaghetti

4 T. unsalted butter

1/2 t. nutmeg

Minced fresh herbs

Grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (optional)

Place the olive oil in a large bowl, add the vegetables, and toss well. Spread vegetables on a baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes.

While the veggies are baking, make the brown butter. Place the butter in a small saucepan and gently heat, swirling the pan a few times, until the butter turns a light brown. Take off the heat and immediately pour into a small bowl. Add the nutmeg to the butter, and stir.

When the vegetables are done, sprinkle the bacon on top of the vegetables, drizzle with half the butter mixture, and stir. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook for about 8-10 minutes.

Drain, put back in the pot, and drizzle half the brown butter on the pasta, stir.

To make individual servings, use tongs to place a nice nest of pasta in each bowl, top with the vegetables and bacon, a sprinkle of herbs, and some cheese.

Now you get to dig in!

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