Garlic Butternut Squash Cacio e Pepe

Ohhhh cacio e pepe I love you! If you’ve never had it before cacio e Pepe in Italian just means cheese and pepper. So this is like a stripped down Mac and cheese. Cacio e Pepe is a beautiful classic as it is, but I added a little twist to it by adding pureed butternut squash, garlic and a pinch of cinnamon. Just for a little fall touch. It’s so creamy and delicious and a great way to sneak in those extra vegetables. And the dish only takes about 20 minutes to throw together! The key is freshly grated cheeses and fresh cracked black pepper. It really makes such a difference!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. cavatappi
• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and small dice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 cup pecorino cheese, freshly grated
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 4 tbsp butter
• salt
• 4-5 sage leaves chopped for garnish on top
• 2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook until al dente about 7-9 minutes. Drain and reserve about 3/4 cup pasta water.

Meanwhile in another small sauce pan boil the butternut squash until fork tender. Add the squash and cinnamon to a blender and puree until smooth.

Melt the butter in a skillet and add in the butternut squash and garlic. Cook for a couple minutes and then add in the pasta water whisking it together. Then add in the pasta, stir it around and make sure everything is evenly coated. Turn the heat off and add in all the cheese and black pepper, and season with salt. Sprinkle over the sage leaves and more cheese and black pepper if you wish and serve!