- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
- All-natural cooking spray
- Salt and pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon each (a sprinkle) of ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper
- 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
- About 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, almonds or hazelnuts
- 5-6 cups Tuscan (flat) kale, stemmed
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Juice of 1 lemon
- About 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 pound pappardelle
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Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
Arrange the squash on a baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon and cayenne. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until tender and brown at the edges.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
Place the garlic and nuts in a food processor and pulse to finely chop. Add the kale in batches and pulse to finely chop. Add salt, pepper and a few grates of nutmeg. Add the lemon juice to the processor bowl. Stream in the EVOO, about 6-8 tablespoons, until a thick sauce forms. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the Pecorino.
Salt the water and cook the pasta to al dente. Add 1 cup of the starchy cooking water to the pesto just before draining the pasta. Toss the pappardelle with the pesto sauce and starchy cooking water for 1-2 minutes to coat. Taste to adjust the seasonings. Combine the pasta with the roasted butternut squash and serve with extra cheese at the table.
This is one of many “Yum-o!” recipes – it’s good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael’s nonprofit organization, visit
www.yum-o.org.