Roasted Butternut Squash and Alfredo Sauce with Fried Sage

I am always looking to my fridge, to the leftover bits of this and that, for inspiration for the next meal.  This quick side dish is no exception.  I had leftover prepared Alfredo sauce from this pizza, and leftover roasted butternut squash from these enchiladas.  And I needed a side dish for this casserole.  I also had lovely fresh sage from the farm share, and have been reading about sage cooked in butter added to all sorts of butternut squash dishes.  It's not hard to see how inspiration struck. Easy cleanup-too!  I cooked this all in one pot, doing first the noodles, then the sage, then finally the sauce before combining it all back in the pot to heat through.

I've revamped my Visual Recipe Index! For more ideas on what to do with your butternut squash, click here.

Alfredo-Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce with Sauteed Sage

1 Tablespoon butter or buttery stick
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, sliced into 1/2 long strips
1 cup butternut squash puree (1/2 a medium sized squash, roasted at 450 degrees F for 45 minutes)
1 cup prepared Alfredo sauce
2 cups farfalle or other small shaped pasta, cooked and drained

In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Add sage, and sauté until lightly browned.  Set aside.  Turn the heat down to low and add the puree to the pan.  Let it warm a minute, then whisk in the Alfredo sauce.  Heat through.  Fold in the cooked pasta.  Top with sage leaves.  Serve with freshly ground pepper and Tabasco if you want a kick of heat.

This post is shared with Food on Friday:  Sauces and Food on Friday at Carole's Chatter.