Squash Pasta with Orange, Maple, and Sage

Sweetening spaghetti with maple syrup may challenge the traditional pasta lover, but it makes sense if you fold in tender squash, orange juice, and crispy sage leaves.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 6 ounces dried spaghetti
• Olive oil
• 20 large fresh sage leaves
• 3⁄4 pound peeled and seeded squash, preferably butternut or Hokkaido, cut into small cubes
• 1⁄2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Fine sea salt
• Finely ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2. In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over high heat. Add the sage leaves and cook, stirring gently, for 10 to 20 seconds or until golden, green, and crispy—mind that the leaves don’t burn. Transfer the sage leaves to a plate, reserving the sage oil.
3. In a large, heavy pan, heat a generous splash of olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the squash, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until tender. Add the orange juice and maple syrup, stir, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Cook for 3 minutes then fold in the spaghetti and sage oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among plates, sprinkle with the sage leaves, and serve immediately.

Recipes excerpted from 365: A Year of Everyday Cooking & Baking by Meike Peters. Copyright 2019. Published by Prestel.