Butternut Squash, Pear and Ricotta Bruschetta with Sage Oil

Butternut Squash, Pear and Ricotta Bruschetta with Sage Oil

Ingredients

• For the Squash
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tablespoons honey

• For the Sage Oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves

• For Assembly
• 2 rustic French baguettes
• About 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2 pears, thinly sliced and cut to fit the bread

Instructions

1. Roast the butternut squash. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Cut the butternut in half down it’s long axis. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the butternut halves cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle each half with 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. each of the salt and pepper. Transfer to your pre-heated oven and roast for about 50-60 minutes, or until the squash is very tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Note: Make the sage oil while the butternut squash is roasting. Remove the butternut squash from the oven and set it aside to cool. Once it’s cool enough to handle, use your hands to peel off and discard the skin. Transfer the flesh to your food processor with the blade attachment. Add the honey and 1 tablespoon of the sage oil. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the food processor as necessary. Remove the butternut squash from your food processor and transfer it to a clean bowl. Cover to keep warm.
2. While the butternut squash is roasting, make the sage oil. In your food processor with the blade attachment, process the oils and sage leaves until the sage is finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and bring it to a low simmer for about 1 minute. Note: Use the same food processor to process the roasted butternut squash above. No need to clean it out in between! Remove from the heat. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, pressing down to remove as much of the oil as possible, collecting and reserving the oil into a clean container. Set aside.
3. Assemble the bruschetta. If you turned off your oven, pre-heat it again to 375 degrees. Cut the baguettes into approximately 1/2-inch slices. Brush each piece with some of the sage oil. Place the baguette slices on a large rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to your pre-heated oven and bake for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Spread about 1 tsp. of the ricotta cheese onto each toasted baguette slice. Top with a couple slices of pear and a dollop of the roasted butternut squash. Drizzle with some of the remaining sage oil. Serve and enjoy!