Description
A cozy pasta tossed with caramelized sweet potato cubes, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy fried sage.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (≈1.1 lb / 500 g), peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Pasta
- 12 oz (340 g) short pasta — rigatoni, penne, or fusilli work well
Dairy
- 4.2 oz (120 g) fresh goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Herbs & aromatics
- About 20 fresh sage leaves
Pantry
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided (plus extra for finishing)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional garnish
- 1 oz grated Parmesan
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oven and roast the veg. Heat the oven to 430°F (220°C). In a bowl, toss the diced sweet potatoes and the chopped garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 20–25 minutes, turning once, until the cubes are golden and tender.
- Cook the pasta. While the potatoes roast, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Before draining, scoop out and set aside 2/3 cup (≈150 ml) of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta.
- Crisp the sage. Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves in a single layer and fry 1–2 minutes until they thin and become crisp (they’ll bubble as they cook). Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Build the base. Add the roasted sweet potatoes to the skillet. Use a fork or the back of a spoon to mash roughly half of the cubes — you want some creamy bits and some intact pieces for texture.
- Finish the sauce. Add the drained pasta to the pan with the sweet potatoes. Pour in the heavy cream, crumble in the goat cheese, and add about half of the reserved pasta water. Stir gently over low heat until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes silky and coats the pasta; add more pasta water a splash at a time if you need to loosen the sauce.
- Season & plate. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately, topped with the fried sage leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, grated Parmesan if you like, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for heat.
Notes
Make-ahead note: Roast the sweet potatoes earlier in the day and reheat briefly before finishing in the skillet. Keep fried sage separate and add just before serving so it stays crunchy. Enjoy!