SWEET ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND GREENS OVER BOW-TIE PASTA

We went to dinner tonight at our daughter & son-in-law's. She served this fabulous recipe from Lynn Rossetto Kasper's great cookbook, The Splendid Table's How To Eat Supper.
I think her only addition was to add walnuts right before serving ...

SWEET ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND GREENS OVER BOW-TIE PASTA
A roasted “sauce” for pasta with chunks of sweet caramelized squash with snappy roasted greens. It takes some 30 minutes of oven time. Add a little half-and-half, toss with the hot pasta and cheese and you have a great sell to the anti-vegetable contingent.
© 2005 Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Recipe Source: Splendid Table's Weeknight Kitchen
PREP TIME: 15 Min. COOK TIME: 25 Min. SERVES: 4






INGREDIENTS:
4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-size chunks (see Lynne's Tips)
1 medium to large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 big handfuls of washed and dried escarole, curly endive, or spring mix, torn
1/3 tightly packed cup fresh basil leaves, torn
16 large fresh sage leaves, torn
5 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 tightly packed tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 pound imported Italian bow tie pasta, fresh cooked in salted water until tender but still a little firm, and drained
1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) freshly shredded Asiago cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
Note: You could peel the squash a day ahead and store it, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. See Lynne’s Tips for an easy way to peel winter squashes.
1. Set oven at 450°. Slip a large sheet pan (I use a half-sheet pan from a restaurant supply house), or two small ones in the oven to heat up. Then prep the ingredients.
2. In a big bowl, toss together all the ingredients except half-and-half, pasta and cheese. Be generous with the salt and pepper.
3. Pull out the oven rack with the sheet pan on it. Taking care not to burn yourself, turn the squash blend onto the pan. Spread out the mixture and bake 25 minutes, turning twice, or until squash is tender.
4. Once the squash is tender, flip on the broiler to caramelize it. Watch closely, turning pieces often. Anticipate about 5 minutes under the heat. You want crusty brown edges on the squash and wilted, almost crisp greens.
5. Scrape everything into a serving bowl. Add the half-and-half, hot pasta, and 1 cup of cheese. Toss to blend, tasting for salt and pepper, and enough cheese. Adjust seasonings and serve hot.






LYNNE’S TIPS
Peeling Winter Squash the Easy Way: Tough skin and hard flesh make winter squash annoying to peel. I came up with a relatively easy way to sidestep most of the work and the dangerous knife slips, which always unnerve me. With an 8-inch chef’s knife, halve the squash lengthwise. Flip it, cut side down, onto your cutting board and cut crosswise into 1-inch slices. Now it’s easy to trim away the peel and seeds. Cut the crescents of squash into 1-inch pieces and you are done.