Butternut Squash and Cashew Creme Pasta with Shimeji Mushrooms

This recipe came to me in a different guise. It came to me by way of my sister and cousin (both amazing cooks in their own right) called butternut squash alfredo. I liked the recipe right away because in my mind, what's not awesome about butternut squash or these two fabulous ladies?

I was a vegetarian for 12 years of my life, starting in middle school. The initial impetus was absolutely born of a pre-adolescent desire to exert a bit of autonomy. But what came of this experience was a desire to know my food better, in every tiny detail. I became aware of where my food was coming from, and (although it seems so very common sense now) I realized first-hand how food of good and conscientious quality elevated the humble and magical experience of eating.

I met my wonderful man 5 years ago and have lived with him in NYC for almost as long. He and this city collaborated to make me a more adventurous eater than I ever have been (without losing the perspective I gained from the veggie years). My sister has made me aware of the ingenuity that goes into cooking both gluten and dairy free. I feel like I'm looking at food in a way I haven't really looked at it in a long while. It's a bit revolutionary...

I made this dish at the end of a long week. I went to the Eliniki Agora produce stand - my favorite one - to buy the components.  I made cashew creme for the first time and this might just become a new obsession. It is smooth and creamy but with a flavor unlike heavy cream; a flavor all its own.

Here are two things: 1) I get the allusion to pasta alfredo, but the final product is not a carbon copy of the original dish. AND 2) It is absolutely, fan-fricken-tastic, amazingly delicious. That's why I made the decision to call it as it is. It's not pasta alfredo and it doesn't need to be. It's its own beautiful thing. 100% vegan and 150% tasty.

When food is good, and I mean really good, there is no need to call it by another name. It will still smell so, so sweet.

Here are the stars: two pretty little butternuts, cashews, garlic and onions. I went on my own initiative and bought some shimeji mushrooms (bunapi-shimeji or white beech mushrooms. In the same family as enoki, another favorite) because I've had an overwhelming desire to put them in almost everything lately. I'll say right now, it was a good choice. Enoki and bunapi shumeji have a lot of umami (savory goodness) compounds but they manage to complement and not to overwhelm a dish in either flavor or texture.

 

A couple notes:
1) This dish does require a bit of forethought, because you need to plan to soak the cashews for at least two hours. The longer the better.
2) The proportions I worked off of, and have put here, make more than enough sauce for the 1/2 pounds of dry pasta. But it's delicious, so extra sauce is a bonus.

 

 

Butternut Squash and Cashew Creme Pasta with Shimeji Mushrooms

 

 

1/2 lb. of dry pasta, your favorite variety

 

1/2 cup of raw and unsalted (this is important!) cashews, soaked for at least two hours.

 

1.5 cups of vegetable broth

 

1.5 cups of roasted butternut squash (I bought the two little guys you see in the picture. Maybe about a pound each. They were more than enough for the recipe)

 

2 tbs "mellow white miso" (yes, I was able to find it by this name at my local organic foods store)

 

1.5 tbs nutritional yeast (optional but recommended. Nutritional yeast, or "Nooch" as my vegan and dairy-free friends call it, definitely has a "cheesy" flavor for lack of a better term)

 

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

 

2 tbs olive oil

 

1 medium yellow onion, in a large, chunky dice

 

1 (150g) container of white beech mushrooms/bunapi shimeji. Simply cut where they are conjoined at the bottom, otherwise leave intact.

 

[If you can't find bunapi or enoki mushrooms, feel free to substitute another kind of mushroom or even leave them out entirely. Like I said, I just really love the texture and flavor of the shimeji mushrooms.]

 

3 cloves of garlic, minced (or crushed in a garlic press)

 

1 tsp dry rubbed sage

 

3/4 cup of a dry, white wine

 

salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

 

 

 

Again, start preparing the cashews as soon as you have a chance. The longer they soak, the better. Make sure that they are raw and unsalted. When you get home, give them a quick rinse  before putting them in a bowl with water. The original recipe I followed said to soak for a minimum of 2 hours and optimally overnight. I ended up doing 4 hours and with a good stick blender, it worked just fine. Since your cashews will be soaking for a while you can time the rest of the prep as works for you.

 

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut your butternut squash into quarters (yes, they will be a bit uneven because of the shape). Scoop out all of the seeds and strings. Place them cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been lightly greased with olive oil or another cooking spray. Roast for 45 minutes. Take out of the oven and once they are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh. Save a little squash if you want to garnish your final product with a few pieces.

 

When your cashews are sufficiently soggy, drain them and put them in a large bowl (if you're using a stick blender) or in a food processor with the vegetable broth. Blend thoroughly until you have an almost entirely smooth mixture. Add the butternut squash, miso, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Blend well, until very creamy.

 

Around this time, bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil and cook your pasta till al dente. Drain and return back to the pot.

 

[Non-procedural note: I think that there are times where it's appropriate to drizzle a little olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together. However, Lidia Bastianich (one of my food heroes) advises against this, saying olive oil can keep your sauce from really adhering to or coating the pasta. I was inclined to believe here, and although my drained pasta got a little sticky, once I added the sauce, everything was golden. Or was that just the butternut.....?]

 

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. Sweat the onions with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes before adding the minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Bring the heat up to medium-high and then mix in the sage, pepper, and white wine and bring to a boil for a 2-3 more minutes.

 

Turn the heat back down to medium-low and add in the butternut and cashew creme. Stir until everything is well incorporated and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for salt and pepper.

 

Like I said, this recipe makes a lot of sauce. Rather than pour it all over the pasta at once, I used a ladle to add in about half of the sauce and then gave everything a stir to coat the pasta. Then, I added a bit more sauce till I was happy with the ratio. There was still some left over, so add as little or as much as suits you.

 

 

To plate, I served in a couple deep bowls and I garnished with some chunks of roasted squash as the original recipe indicated. Honestly, I was a little lukewarm about this last step. The sauce is so deliciously savory and complex, while the squash on its own is simple and sweet. I felt it clashed a bit. And here's a true confession for you (Vegan friends; stop reading here!): some crispy bacon or pancetta pieces would be heavenly as a garnish. Just sayin'.

 

I can only recommend now that you curl up on the couch (fake woodstove optional), drink some more of that white wine,  put something good on the telly, and dig in to your bowl of savory, complex, creamy, butternut goodness. Buen provecho!