This cozy, golden-hued pasta was born from a little kitchen improvisation — the kind where you roast what you have and trust the process. It’s creamy, earthy, and deeply grounding — the kind of meal that feels like a warm hug for your gut and your soul.
Pasta (You can use your favorite gluten-free pasta, but if you’re making it from scratch, this was roughly what I used.) • 3 ½ cups spelt flour • 3 eggs • A drizzle of olive oil • A splash of water, as needed
Sauce • 1 small butternut squash (or 2 butter babies) • 1 small onion • 1 bulb garlic • A handful of fresh sage leaves • Olive oil • 1 leek (optional, but adds depth and sweetness) • Butter or ghee • Freshly grated Parmesan (or omit for dairy-free) • Sea salt and black pepper
Directions
Roast the veggies.
Preheat the oven to around 400°F (200°C). Peel and cube the squash, slice the onion, and place them on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Wrap the whole garlic bulb (top trimmed off) in foil with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast everything until soft and caramelized, about 35–45 minutes.
Sauté the leeks (optional).
While the veggies roast, clean and slice the leek. Pan-fry in a little butter or ghee until golden and fragrant. Set aside — you can add this to the blender later for an extra layer of flavor.
Blend the sauce.
Once roasted, scoop the butternut squash flesh into a blender. Add the roasted onion, squeezed-out garlic cloves, sage leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until creamy and smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Crisp the sage.
In a small pan, heat butter or ghee and fry a few sage leaves until just crispy. Remove and place on a paper towel to dry.
Assemble.
Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen. Top with crispy sage and freshly grated Parmesan.
Tip: This recipe makes plenty of sauce — we actually had enough for twice the amount of pasta!
