Bucatini Pasta with Roasted Chestnuts, Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Using a small paring knife, make an incision about 1/8" deep through the shell and into the flesh of each chestnut almost all the way around the circumference of the nut. Transfer to a rimmed baking pan. Roast in the oven until the chestnuts are tender, about 35 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the chestnuts in the oven. Remove one at a time. Working quickly, place 1 chestnut at a time in a kitchen towel to hold and peel each chestnut while still hot. Remove both the inner and outer skin. Break the chestnuts into halves or quarters and set aside.
3. Heat the water for the pasta. When boiling, generously add the salt and cook the pasta according to the directions, but remove and drain 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time. Pasta should be "al dente".
4. At the same time, in a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and the garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the chestnut and squash and season with salt and pepper and cook on medium-low for about 15 minutes or until the squash is tender.
5. Add the vermouth and chicken broth; raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the pasta to the skillet along with 1/2 the goat cheese and basil. Toss well and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with remaining goat cheese and basil.
6. TIP: Roasting the squash gives a different depth of flavor. Toss the squash into a Ziploc® with a tbsp. olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread out on a lined baking sheet and roast approximately 25 minutes or until soft. If you roast, reduce the cooking time on the stove to just a few minutes with the chestnuts.

• Servings : 6
• Course : Dinner, First, Main Dish, Primi, Supper
• Recipe Type : Dinner
• Ingredient : Bucatini, Goat Cheese, Leeks, Pasta, Roasted Chestnuts, Vermouth