How to make Colm O'Gorman's simple linguine for a beautiful weekday dinner

I like to make this dish with linguine, but you could also have it with a pasta shape such as penne or fusilli

This lovely linguine recipe is deceptively simple. It takes just 30 minutes to prep and cook but tastes phenomenal. It makes for a beautiful weekday dinner but is also perfect for a dinner party. Your guests are bound to be impressed by the layers of flavour in this dish: nutty brown butter and fresh sage with parmesan cheese, combined with the sweetness of roasted butternut squash, salty savoury crispy bacon, and a hint of orange. Bliss.

I like to make this dish with linguine, but you could also have it with a pasta shape such as penne or fusilli. The pasta needs to retain a little bite, so, as you will finish it off in the sauce, cook the pasta for about a minute less than the instructions on the packet. That texture is important in this dish. If your pasta is overcooked, it will not work so well with this silky-smooth sauce.

Be careful not to overdo the salt when preparing this recipe. Use a little less salt than usual in the pasta cooking water as you will reserve and use some of it to finish the sauce. That, combined with the salt from the roasted squash, and the saltiness of the bacon and the parmesan, means that you should not need to add any additional salt to the sauce.

Serve this linguine with a simple, fresh green salad and some freshly baked crusty bread. A chilled glass of good Italian white wine is optional, but highly recommended!

Linguine with butternut squash, bacon, brown butter, and sage

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

This lovely linguine recipe is deceptively simple.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 60 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• ½ a butternut squash

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 150g streaky bacon

• 400g dried linguine

• 50g butter

• Handful fresh sage, approx. 20-30 leaves

• 75g freshly grated parmesan cheese

• Zest of half an orange

• Ground black pepper

• Flaky sea salt

Method

1. Peel the butternut squash and cut it into 1cm sized chunks. Toss it in one teaspoon of olive oil and a little flaky sea salt and roast it at 170 Celsius in an air fryer for twenty minutes until it is soft and cooked through. Do not allow it to char, just take it to the point where it is soft and slightly golden. If you do not have an air fryer, you can roast the squash in an oven. Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius and toss the oil in a little flaky sea salt and two teaspoons of olive oil. Spread the squash in a single layer across a roasting tin and roast it for twenty to twenty-five minutes.

2. Cut the bacon cross ways into thin strips, about half a centimetre wide is perfect. Warm a heavy based non-stick frying pan over a high heat and add a splash of olive oil. Add the bacon to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Fry for three to four minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and golden. Remove from the heat and set aside for now.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for about one minute less than the instructions on the packet. For linguine, you will need to allow nine to ten minutes maximum. Do not overcook the pasta, making sure it retains just a little bite.

4. While the pasta is cooking, heat a small pan over a high heat and add the butter. Reduce the heat to medium and when the butter starts to foam, reduce to low. Wash and roughly chop the sage leaves, discarding any thick stalks. Add the chopped sage to the foaming butter and cook until the butter turns nutty brown. This will only take a few minutes, so do keep an eye on the pan making sure not to burn the butter or the sage. The brown butter is ready when it has nice brown colour with a biscuity hazelnut like aroma. When you get it to that point, remove the pan for the heat and set aside.

5. Grate the parmesan cheese.

6. When the pasta is almost done, remove one cup of the starchy cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta and pop it back into the pot. Add the brown butter and sage, the orange zest and the grated parmesan to the pan. Stir to combine the cheese and butter into the pasta and warm it through over a low heat. The pasta should be coated quite thickly now in the butter and cheese mixture, so add a little of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin it out. The salty, starchy water will add seasoning but also help bind the pasta and sauce together. Add one quarter of a cup at a time until you get the desired consistency. Finally, add the squash and the crispy bacon and stir those through before adding a good grind of fresh black pepper to season. As above, given the salt in the pasta water, and the saltiness of the bacon and the parmesan, you should not need any more, but taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to taste.

7. Serve the pasta in warm bowls, with some shavings of parmesan over the top.