Butternut Squash Triangoli

It has been one hell of a week. Work was crazy, the boy is out of town, and I have one really nasty flu. I'm doped up on Sudafed, Advil, and lots of tea. It's times like these where, if I am even hungry, I need something quick and homey that doesn't take a lot out of me to make. I had some Butternut Squash Triangloli that Trader Joe's now carries and figured I'd add some vegetables to my vitamin lacking body. You can substitute the peas with spinach, kale, green beans, really any dark vegetable would suffice.

I know I have posted a previous butternut squash pasta recipe before but this is a nice tweak on it. I add pancetta, shallots and peas and also make it lighter without the brown butter sauce. I add some of the pasta cooking water and along with the vegetables, makes a nice and light sauce.

Butternut Squash Trangoli with Peas:
1 Package of TJ's Butternut Squash Triangolini
2 oz. Pancetta
1 tsp butter
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup frozen peas
5 springs of thyme, leaves picked
Salt and Pepper


Bring a large pot filled with water up to a boil. While the water is heating up in a sauté pan, start cooking the pancetta over medium heat with the olive oil. Once the pancetta is crispy, take out with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel. Add the shallot and garlic to the pancetta fat and let sweat.

Once the water is boiling, add a hand full of salt and add the pasta. Cook for 4 minutes.

Once the shallot has cooked a few minutes, add the frozen peas, butter, the thyme leaves a touch of salt, and some cracked black pepper. Once the pasta is cooked, add it to the sauté pan with 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Gently stir to combine everything.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve with a caprese salad.