Brown Butter Butternut Squash Pasta (4)

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butternut squash cubes in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until golden-brown. Stir and cook for another 5-7 minutes until tender. Season with salt and pepper, then remove squash from the pan.
3. Lower skillet heat to medium and add butter. Stir constantly until it foams and turns a deep mahogany color with a nutty aroma. Immediately add sage leaves for 30-60 seconds until crisp, then stir in minced garlic and nutmeg for 30 seconds.
4. Return the cooked squash and drained pasta to the skillet. Pour in ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and toss over medium heat for 2 minutes to create an emulsion.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.