Michelle Rudolph, owner of Stepladder Creamery is an amazing cook. She loves to use farmstead grown veggies and fruits in her dishes to showcase the diverse terroir throughout the property.
One of her favorite meals to fix for friends and family visiting over the holidays is this vegetarian butternut squash pasta with fresh sage and Marinated Fromage Blanc cheese.
"This is one of my favorites because of the savory flavors that remind me of fall," said Michelle. "It's always a crowd pleaser and heats up again as leftovers. The Marinated Fromage Blanc gives the dish extra creaminess and the olive oil helps combine all the flavors together."
Ingredients:
- 1 large butternut squash, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 10 large sage leaves
- 1 Marinated Fromage Blanc
- 1 small Cabrillo: shredded
- 1 package of dried spaghetti
- ¼-½ cup EVOO Or butter
- 7 tablespoons of cooking oil
- Salt & Pepper
Butternut Squash:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil. Spread out cubed butternut squash and sprinkle salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast until golden brown and chewy for about 30-45 minutes.
Fried Sage:
Place a skillet on medium heat and pour about 4-7 tablespoons of cooking oil, get hot for 2-3 minutes. Turn on low and place sage in oil and fry until crispy for about 3-4 minutes. Flip after a few minutes. Once Crispy, lay flat on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil and sprinkle with salt.
Pasta:
Boil water with a couple tablespoons of salt, and cook pasta until al dente. Save about ¼ cup of pasta water. After the pasta is cooked and drained immediately, place in a large mixing bowl and dump 1 full Marinated Fromage Blanc (pull out bay leaves) + ¼ pasta water mixing vigorously until it's fully incorporated, you might need to add a little extra olive oil or butter to not let the pasta dry out.
Let the pasta and Marinated Fromage Blanc sit for a few minutes, to allow the pasta to absorb the oil. Then mix in the roasted butternut squash with some fresh cracked black pepper and salt to taste. Sprinkle the Cabrillo over the pasta and finally add the fried sage on top.
Enjoy!
Marinated Fromage Blanc is available for sale online and at farmer's markets throughout California. It's also available in the Medium and Large cheese bundles.
Leave a comment below if you try this recipe at home!
Another Stepladder employee, Amanda, made this recipe at home when her mom was in town visiting. They used a different type of pasta and paired with a glass of Chardonnay. Tasted (and looked) delicious!
