Squash-Squash Pasta Sauce (Acorn and Zucchini dressed pasta)

This dish uses squash two ways- an acorn squash made into a sauce and zucchini tossed into the pasta to make a flavorful fall dish.  To make this dish you will need:

• one small acorn squash 
• one medium zucchini
• 1/2 a vidalia onion, minced 
• 12 oz pasta, uncooked (let's say three quarters of a box of uncooked spaghetti, I like Ronzoni GF- it's a nice blend) 
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil (half for one squash, half for the other)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4- 1/3 cup heavy cream 
• 1/4 cup shaved romano cheese 
• 1/4 teaspoon crackled black peppercorn
• fresh basil (optional)  
  
• salt to taste 

Preheat your oven to 400. 

Quarter your washed acorn squash and clean out the center of the seeds and strings. Clean the seeds out of the strings and discard the stringy center only, keep the seeds. Use a glass roasting pan or like I choose, a cast iron pan to add the acorn quarters (flesh side up) and seeds in the center. Drizzle both with olive oil, the seeds with salt and the squash with cinnamon and cayenne. Place in the oven for 40 min. 

Meanwhile, when the acorn has been in the oven for about a thirty minutes, take this time to mince the onion and slice your zucchini in rounds extra thin. Put a pot of water, nicely salted to boil. 

When your acorn has cooked through, take your squash out to cool slightly. Add your pasta to boiling water and place a wide shallow pan (big enough to eventually fit pasta and sauce) on med high with olive oil. Add in zucchini and onion and saute with light salt. When these just start to caramelize, turn to low. 

Timing is key to this, your pasta should still be cooking. Set seeds aside and scoop squash from acorn shell into your food processor. Add cream and romano with pepper- more cinnamon if you would like- blend to a thick sauce. Pour right on top of your zucchini and add in about two ladles full of pasta water just before draining your pasta. This will thin out the sauce and give it body all at the same time. 

Drain your pasta and add right away to the "squash-squash"  sauce. Toss and top with acorn squash roasted seeds and fresh basil (optional).

Bon Appetit
xoxo Renee