She Strengthens

Winter Wonderland Pasta

As the seasons change, our palates crave heartier, comforting dishes that evoke warmth and coziness. This elegant yet rustic fresh pasta recipe is perfect for a stylish dinner party or a casual vegetarian supper.

The Star of the Show: Fresh Pappardelle

To create this delightful dish, you’ll need to start with a batch of fresh pasta dough. Don’t worry, it’s easier than you think! Once you’ve got your dough ready, it’s time to roll out the pappardelle, those beautiful, broad, flat noodles that resemble extra-wide fettuccine.

A Sauce Fit for a King

Next, you’ll create a rich and creamy sauce by softening onions and garlic in olive oil, then adding cubed butternut squash and fresh thyme. As the mixture cooks, the flavors will meld together in perfect harmony. Finally, you’ll stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, creating a velvety sauce that’s sure to impress.

A Touch of Sweetness

For a traditional northern Italian touch, consider garnishing your dish with crushed amaretti cookies. These almond-flavored treats add a hint of sweetness and a beautifully aromatic finish to the dish.

Getting Started

Before you begin, make sure you have the right equipment. A pasta machine or stand mixer with a pasta attachment will make rolling out the dough a breeze. We recommend Imperia’s hand-cranked model for a smooth, easy process.

Yield and Difficulty

This recipe yields 4-6 servings and has a medium level of difficulty. With a total cooking time of 1 hour and 15 minutes, you’ll need to set aside about 50 minutes of active cooking time.

Ingredients

For the pasta:

• All-purpose flour for dusting
• 1 recipe Fresh Pasta Dough

For the sauce:

• 1 (1-pound) butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup crushed amaretti cookies, for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

Rolling the Pasta

1. Set your pasta machine or stand mixer to the widest setting.
2. Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour and set aside.
3. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces, setting 1 piece aside to roll and covering the remaining pieces with plastic wrap.
4. Flatten the dough into a disk and pass it through the pasta machine.
5. Fold the dough in thirds lengthwise and press down to seal.
6. Pass the dough through the machine again, beginning with the short side, and repeat folding and passing through the machine one more time.
7. Without folding, continue passing the dough through the machine twice per setting, narrowing the setting each time until the dough is thin enough to see the outline of your hand through.
8. Dust the pasta sheet with flour on both sides and cut it in half widthwise.
9. Fold each piece in thirds and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and repeat the process with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.

Making the Sauce

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the squash: Peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler, trim the top and bottom, cut the neck from the bulb, halve each piece lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering.
4. Add the onion, garlic, and measured salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the squash, thyme, and measured pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is starting to brown and just gives way when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes.
6. Pour in the cream, stir to coat the vegetables, and bring to a boil.
7. Stir in the cheese and simmer for 2 minutes.
8. Add the reserved pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 1-2 minutes.
9. Using tongs, transfer the pasta directly into the sauce.
10. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and remove the pasta and sauce from heat.
11. Toss with tongs to coat the pasta, adding the reserved pasta water by the tablespoon to reach the desired sauce consistency.
12. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
13. Garnish with amaretti cookies, if desired.