Fullblood Wagyu Sweet Italian Sausage Pasta with Butternut Squash

Directions

1. Tools - Heavy Bottom Sauté Pan, Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper, Large Sauté Pan
2. FIRST STEP Pull the Fullblood Wagyu sweet Italian sausage (ground) from the freezer, and place it in the refrigerator 24 hours before starting this recipe.
3. PREPARING THE PASTA Place the pasta and water in a large pot. Boil off the pasta according to the package instructions. Lightly coat the pasta with olive oil.
4. PREPARING THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND WALNUTS Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place the butternut squash (cut into cubes) in a medium size bowl. Lightly toss the squash with a small amount of olive oil, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the butternut squash out onto the tray, and spread into an even layer. Cook at 375°F for 30 minutes or until the squash is lightly browned and soft. Place the walnuts in a small baking pan, and toast in the oven for 10 minutes at 375°F.
5. PREPARING THE FULLBLOOD WAGYU SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND ONIONS In a large sauté pan, add the grapeseed oil on medium-high heat. Let the oil get hot, and add in the Fullblood Wagyu sweet Italian sausage in small pieces. Let the sausage brown, while using a wooden spoon to break up any large pieces. Once the sausage has cooked, add in the julienned sweet onion. Cook until translucent. Add in the dry sherry, and scrape the bottom of the pan to pull up any of the caramelization. Once the sherry has cooked down, add the sausage and onion mixture in with the cooked pasta.
6. FINAL STEPS In a heavy bottom sauté pan, melt the butter on medium heat until the milk solids start to brown. Then, take the pan off of the heat, and add in the sage leaves. Once the butter is done, pour it over the pasta, sausage, and onions to coat. Add in the butternut squash, walnuts, and parmesan cheese. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm, and enjoy!