How would you like to be the featured recipe for Al Dente Pasta this Halloween? To get things rolling, we’d like to send a bag of our squid ink fettuccine to the first 6 people who leave a comment below!

Last year, our friend Chef T. Steven Dick came up with a recipe which has all the right colors for a Halloween Dinner.  He is the Chef owner of Kitchen Savant and the Corporate Chef of Joy’s International Foods.

Squid Ink Fettuccine

with Italian Sausage, Fresh Rapini, Crimini Mushrooms and Roasted Butternut Squash in a Sundried Tomato Garlic Sauce

Ingredients
•    12 oz bag        Squid Ink Fettuccine
•    1 pound           Italian Sausage (mild or hot) cut into 1 inch bites
•    1 bunch           Fresh Rapini, stemmed and rough chopped
•    1 pound           Crimini Mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
•    2 oz                 Garlic Joy Sundried Tomato spread
•    ½ ea                 Butternut Squash, small diced, roasted
•    4-6 oz             Extra virgin olive oil
•    2 tbs                butter
•    To taste           salt and fresh cracked pepper
•    Garnish            grated Asiago cheese

Peel, seed and dice the butternut squash into ½ inch dice.  Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until just knife tender.  Roasting gives the squash a big concentrated sweetness that is worth the effort!  Alternatively, you can boil or microwave the butternut squash.  Caution: do not overcook.

In a large sauté pan heat 1 ounce of the olive oil and  begin sautéing the sausage over medium high heat.  Sauté for 5 minutes.  Add 2 ounces of olive oil and then add mushrooms and the rapini.  Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms and rapini are done.  Add the Garlic Joy Sundried Tomato garlic spread and the roasted butternut squash.  Sauté until hot.

Add the pasta to boiling water and cook according to instructions.  While the pasta is cooking, finish the sauce by adding the last of the olive oil.  Toss all ingredients completely.  Season with salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta and toss with the two tablespoons of butter to prevent sticking.  Move pasta to a serving platter and top with the Italian Sausage, Fresh Rapini, Crimini Mushrooms and Roasted Butternut Squash in a Sundried Tomato Garlic Sauce.  Finish with grated Asiago cheese.