Roasted Butternut Squash Fettuccine + Goat + Thyme

This unassuming little pasta dish packs quite a flavorful punch. The roasted garlic and minced olives hiding in the dressing add a depth of flavor that goes very well with the sweetness of the roasted squash. All I can say is that this is one of my favorite plates of pasta. It's a keeper.

The fun of pasta is that it is a blank canvas that calls for you to paint with many flavors. Mix whatever vegetable is fresh and in-season with some garlic and olive oil, and there you have it, a new pasta recipe. The possibilities are truly endless. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Fettuccine + Goat Feta + Thyme

1 medium butternut squash (about 3 1/3 cups, peeled, seeded, diced)

6 cloves garlic

olive oil

sea salt and cracked black pepper

10 kalamata olives (minced)

1 large shallot (diced)

1 large tomato (about 1 1/2 cups, diced)

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon champagne vinegar

1/4 cup chopped parsley

4 sprigs of thyme (stems removed, plus more for garnish)

3/4 pound fettuccine

4 ounces feta (crumbled) 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss diced butternut squash and whole cloves of garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil, spread out on a rimmed baking sheet, and then season with salt and pepper. Place baking sheet into preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges of the squash begin to caramelize.

In a large bowl, mix the olives, shallot, tomato, sugar, vinegar, parsley, thyme, a pinch of salt, some black pepper, and a few tablespoons of olive oil. Remove the squash from the oven and allow it to cool. Smash the roasted garlic hard with the side of your knife and stir the paste into your dressing. Cook pasta according to package directions. Toss pasta and butternut squash with the dressing. To serve, use tongs to transfer pasta to plate and garnish with crumbled goat feta and thyme leaves.