Ingredients: Serves 2 ppl
For the pasta:
- 6 oz campanelle pasta
- 4 oz kabocha squash puree
- ½ cup of lobster and chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 2 oz herbed goat cheese
- 1 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
- 2 cup lacinato kale, washed and chopped
- 1.5 oz unsalted butter
- 2 oz olive oil
- 1 oz pistachio, toasted and rough chopped
- S&P as needed
- Pasta water as needed
For the squash puree:
- 1 small kabocha squash
- 2 ea garlic clove, minced
- 2 oz shallot, chopped
- 2-3 cup heavy cream
- Water as needed
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig sage
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 Tbs lemon juice
- Salt as needed
- Oil as needed
Take one kabocha squash and quarter it with a knife. Remove the seeds. Toss the squash with oil and season with salt. Roast in a pan in a 375F oven for 25-30 minutes. The squash should be very soft to the touch when it is finished roasting. Once cooled, spoon out the yellow flesh of the squash and reserve. Discard the skin.
In a medium pot, sweat garlic, shallot, and herbs for about 3 minutes in oil, until aromatic. Add the roasted squash, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Season with salt. The cream should cover the squash, add a little water if needed. Simmer the squash for about 20 minutes, until very soft. In a blender, puree the squash mixture and push through a strainer. It should be very smooth and creamy. Add water to help blend if needed, and re season with salt.
For the herbed goat cheese:
- 2 oz goat cheese
- 1 tsp chive, chopped
- 1 tsp parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbs heavy cream
- Salt and black pepper as needed
In a bowl, cream together the goat cheese and the cream to soften. Add the lemon juice, herbs, and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Season well with salt and black pepper.
To assemble the pasta:
Boil a medium pot of water on the stove top. Be sure to salt it. Add the pasta and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until tender with a little bite still to it. When straining the pasta, reserve two cups of the water to use for building the sauce.
In a large saute pan, add the oil and saute the mushrooms with salt and pepper for about 3-4 minutes, until they start releasing their liquid and become fragrant. Add more oil if needed. Add the squash puree and half of the pasta water. The pasta water will help thin out the squash puree. Add more of the water if you feel the sauce needs it. Next, add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to evenly coat. Add more of the pasta water if it looks thick or dry. The consistency should be creamy, but not soupy. Finally, add the kale and gently toss with the pasta. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper.
Plate pasta in a bowl. Add the grated parmigiano on top, and then spoon on the herbed goat cheese. Lastly, add the toasted pistachio on top, and finish with cracked black pepper. The heat from the pasta should slowly melt the goat cheese. My favorite way to eat this dish is to stir the goat cheese into the pasta to make it even creamier.