Quick and Tasty Dinner with Browned Butter

In the February 19, 2015 edition of the Seattle Times Pacific NW Magazine, there was a piece about browned butter.  Or in French, Beurre Noisette.  Sounds better in French, right?  Noisette means hazelnut which suggests the flavor of browned butter. The article suggested serving it over pasta with roasted squash.  I tried it and my two "tasters" declared it delicious.  I thought so too.  And easy. 

Brown butter is made from butter and needs only one pan to make a luscious, nut-like golden sauce for pasta or roasted vegetables.  To make the browned butter, melt 1/4 inch slices (one per serving) of butter in a light colored saute' pan over medium-low heat.  Slowly melt the butter, swirling the pan so it melts evenly.  Butter has three components: water, butterfat and milk solids.  The water will evaporate and the milk solids--foam--will brown.  Initially, the butter will sputter, but will soon quiet down as the water is evaporated.  Taking care to not burn the milk solids, continue to cook until it becomes oil-like and smells like toasted nuts.  It's ready!

Roasted Butternut Squash over Cheese Ravioli

Serves 4

1 small butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded and sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
1 T Olive oil
1 lb. cheese ravioli--from the refrigerator case at your grocery store
4 T butter
8 fresh sage leaves
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 c walnuts, chopped and toasted

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Toss squash slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Spread the squash slices one layer deep on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Roast about 25 minutes or until the edges caramelize, turning once.

While the ravioli is cooking, brown the butter.  Add the sage leaves when the butter starts smelling sweet and nutty.  Cook the sage leaves until crisp, a minute or two.  Remove to a paper towel if the butter isn't quite ready.  When the butter is ready, remove the pan from the heat. 

Drain the pasta and divide between four pasta bowls.  Top with the squash. Spoon the butter and sage on top then sprinkle the cheese and walnuts.  Serve immediately.

I served it with roasted asparagus (which shared the roasting pan with the squash during the last 10 minutes.)