Butternut Squash Bolognese

Slofoodgroup Team May 29, 2024

Pumpkin Bolognese with Nutmeg

This pumpkin bolognese recipe is a very late autumnal take on the classic ragu sauce. Simply replace the beef mince with pork, match it with apple cider instead of wine and entirely replace the tomato sauce with pumpkin puree. It is best if you roast the pumpkin at home, but it can easily be replaced by a can of pumpkin puree. And we cannot say pumpkin without nutmeg, right? We recommend adding 1/2 tsp of nutmeg but feel free to add more to your liking. Nutmeg is the bridge between the pork, the pumpkin, and the apple cider, bringing all the flavors together. The flavors of pumpkin bolognese are more mellow and rounded so make sure you're generous with black pepper too!

How to Make Squash and Pork Bolognese

Ingredients

• 2 pounds butternut squash, halved and deseeded
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 medium onion
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• ¼ cup celery root, finely chopped 
• ½ cup carrot, finely chopped 
• ½ cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ fennel seeds
• 4 servings of cooked tagliatelle pasta
• freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Procedure

1. preheat oven to 360F/180 C.
2. cut the butternut squash in half and scoop the seeds out; bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the flesh is fork-tender; scoop the cooked pumpkin to a bowl, and gently mash it with a fork; set aside.
3. in a heavy-bottomed pot, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and cook the minced pork until is no longer pink; remove and set aside.
4. to the same pot, add another tbsp of olive oil and cook the vegetables until soft, for about 5-7 minutes.
5. bring back the meat to the pot and add the apple cider; bring to a boil and simmer until half the liquid has evaporated.
6. add the pumpkin mash to the pot together with milk, fennel seeds, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; stir well to combine.
7. simmer on low, covered for 30-45 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
8. in the meanwhile, cook tagliatelle pasta according to the package's instructions.
9. scoop the sauce on top and serve with freshly cracked black pepper and grated parmesan cheese on top.