Makes 4 to 6 servings. On one of our first trips to New York, my mom and I ate at a unique market-restaurant called Eataly. We enjoyed for the first time the light texture and deliciously creamy taste of butternut squash ravioli. Since then butternut squash has become one of my favorite ingredients in soups, sauces, and fillings. Similar to pumpkin, it has a mildly sweet and nutty flavor. In this soup recipe, I first roast the butternut squash to intensify the flavor and then puree it. Using the Eataly dish as inspiration, I added cheese tortellini pasta for added texture and then finished it off with a crumble of soft goat cheese.
1 (3-pound) butternut squash
1 ½ tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
½ cup diced yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup canned coconut milk
1 ½ cups frozen cheese tortellini
½ tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons softened goat cheese
18 Fried Sage Leaves (see recipe on page 290)
1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped pecans, toasted, optional
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Peel half of the butternut squash lengthwise and then cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds from both halves. Place the unpeeled half, cut side up, on one end of the pan. Cut the peeled half into ½-inch cubes. Place the cubes on the other end of the pan. Coat both sides of the butternut squash half with ½ tablespoon of the olive oil. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over the cubes and toss to coat. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of the salt over the cubes.
Bake for 30 minutes, gently tossing the cubed butternut squash halfway through the baking time. Let cool for about 8 minutes. Scoop the pulp from the butternut squash half and transfer to a blender.
Place the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small sauté pan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Spoon the sautéed onion mixture into the blender. Add the chicken broth and coconut milk and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to the blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan. Stir in the roasted butternut squash cubes and cook over low heat until warm.
Fill a medium saucepan three-quarters full with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the tortellini and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain well.
Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and heat until melted. Add the pasta. Cook until lightly toasted on all sides, about 1 minute.
To serve, spoon the soup into bowls and top with toasted pasta, crumbled goat cheese, Fried Sage Leaves, and toasted pecans, if using.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.