Roasted Butternut Pasta Sauce

I would describe this sauce in one word: exquisite. So without further ado:

1 medium butternut squash
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
coarse salt and ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, peel on
1 cup half-and-half
pasta for serving

optional toppings:
toasted chopped walnuts
finely chopped fresh sage
grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375. Trim ends of butternut squash and halve lengthwise. Peel with a vegetable peeler and halve lengthwise again. Scoop out seeds and cut into 2-inch chunks. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with oil and sage; season generously with salt and pepper; scatter garlic around squash. Roast until squash is very tender -- about 40 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Remove from oven and transfer squash to a blender or food processor. Squeeze garlic out of peels and into blender. Add 1 cup water and blend to puree. Add half and half and continue to process until smooth. Thin with up to 1 cup water, if necessary. (I left it quite thick.)

Serve over warm pasta, such as a short pasta, ravioli, or tortellini. Don't skimp on the quality if going the ravioli/tortellini route. You may want to thin the sauce with a little pasta water. Top with any of the optional toppings.

This sauce may be frozen for up to 3 months by sealing in an airtight container with 1 inch of head space. To thaw, place container upside down under hot tap water to release the frozen block of sauce, then place block in a large saucepan; cover and reheat over medium-low, adding water to thin if necessary.

This would make a fantastic butternut bisque if thinned a bit more with water and chicken stock.