Roasted Butternut Squash & Turkey Pastina

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the squash, cut, scoop out the seeds and cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When butter stops foaming and turns a light brown, add the sage, balsamic vinegar, sugar and molasses. (Be careful as it will sizzle.) Mix well and let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to led it meld together.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the squash and toss well to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and transfer to a foil-lined, heavy duty rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold squash in a single layer. Place in preheated oven and roast, tossing at least once, until tender and caramelized, about 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm enough so the liquid is still runny.

Pour the contents of the baking sheet into a food processor (including liquid) and process until smooth. At this point, you can use it, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Bring the chicken broth to a low simmer in a saucepan.

Heat oil in a large saute pan or deep skillet. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown. Add the thyme; stir, and add pastina. Stir and add 2 cups broth. Bring to a simmer, adding chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is absorbed, stirring to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Do this until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. (This process resembles the cooking method for risotto.)

Add roasted squash and turkey to reheat. Stir well. It should be quite loose, like a thick soup. Add more broth if needed.

Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and stir. Taste for seasoning.

Tastes great with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar in each bowl, and if you like, a little more parmesan cheese.

If serving as leftovers, you may need to add additional broth when reheating. The pastina will soak up all the liquid that you give it! Enjoy!