Linguine with Roasted Carnival Squash and a Garnacha for #winePW 5

I mulled over for some time what to do for the "Fall fruits and wine pairings" Wine Pairing Weekend 5 theme announced by our host, Culinary Adventures with Camilla. Apples and pears came to mind first, but I haven't cooked with them much. Then I realized squash was fair game, and I sure enjoying cooking with them in the fall. I had some colorful carnival squash on hand from our fall farmshare, and thought they'd be fun to use. So I came up with this Linguine with Roasted Carnival Squash recipe.

Now, what wine to pair with this roasted carnival squash dish? You could make the case that a white might be best for this fairly light pasta dish. In fact, we did enjoy a white with the leftovers (Gastronomie Rousette de Savoie). But when the weather starts turning cooler, I'm definitely gravitating more toward reds. Smells of roasting garlic and squash in the house, that seals the deal.

While I wanted red, I didn't want something heavy or tannic with this pasta dish. I'd enjoyed a Garnacha from Abadía de la Oliva Winery recently and had an extra bottle on hand. I welcomed a chance to open that bottle and see how it paired with this dish...stay tuned for the pairing details after the recipe!

1 head garlic, root end cut off for roasting
2 small carnival squash, cut in half and seeds removed
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup cooking liquid or water (more as needed)
2 to 3 cups baby arugula
1 tbsp parsley
12 ozs linguine or penne
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on the root end of the garlic for roasting. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, wrap tightly with foil and place in oven.

Drizzle the squash flesh with a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly coat a baking tray with oil spray, and place the squash flesh side down on the tray. Put the squash in the oven to roast.

After the squash has roasted for about 30 minutes, start a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Check to see how the squash and garlic are coming along, though they will need closer to 45 minutes. A fork should be able to puncture the squash skin easily when it is done, and the flesh should be soft and beginning to brown. The garlic should be down around the same time, with soft, browned cloves.

Remove the squash and garlic and set aside to cool for a few minutes. When the squash is cool enough to work with, scoop out the flesh into a bowl and break up with a sturdy spoon.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium in a large skillet. Squeeze the garlic into the the skillet, stirring it in to combine with the olive oil. This is a good time to add the pasta to the boiling pot of water.

When the garlic has begun to sizzle, stir the squash into the skillet, combining it with the garlic and oil. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for about 5 minutes, adding 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water toward the end of that time.

Stir the arugula into the squash mixture, cooking for another minute or two to wilt the arugula. Cover and keep warm on very low heat until the pasta is ready.

Drain the pasta when cooked to your liking, then gently toss it with the squash mixture. You need to stir it up pretty well to get the squash evenly distributed. Add the cheese and the parsley, and you are ready to serve along with a glass of wine.

Wine Pairing: So our September #winePW selection was the 3 Riberas Garnacha 2012 from Abadía de la Oliva Winery, located in the Ribera del Duero area of Spain. This Garnacha also had a small amount of Graciano blended in. This wine has violet on the nose. Blackberry and cherry fruit, leathery on the back end. I recall this wine being a bit more fruit forward when I first had it (perhaps in contrast to the sausage I had it with!) which is why I thought of it to go with the sweetness of the squash.  It worked reasonably well, picking up the pepperiness of the arugula as well as matching OK with the squash. Definitely a good Garnacha for the price, but I wouldn't say this was as spot-on as some of my other #winePW pairings, such as last month's Grilled Tuna with a Halter Ranch Syrah. Nonetheless, this Garnacha is a good value wine and a decent pairing.

Wine Pairing Weekend #5 Bloggers
Here's what all of the bloggers have created for the October Wine Pairing Weekend!

On the Menu...

Savories
Pumpkin Lasagna with Halter Ranch's Côtes de Paso by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Squash and Sausage Soup with Pumpkin Cornbread and McKinley Springs 2010 Bombing Range Red by Tasting Pour
Linguine with Roasted Carnival Squash and a Garnacha by Cooking Chat
Pinot Vs. Syrah - Pork Tenderloin with Fig & Apple Sauce by Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Apple Cider Pork with Red Cabbage and Oak Aged Apple Cider by Curious Cuisiniere

Sweets

Harvest Fruits-Maple Crisp paired with a Riesling by Eliot's Eats

Caramelized Almond Apple Upside Down Cake with a Late Harvest Riesling by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Forgotten Fire Late Harvest Riesling and Warm Apple Crisp by Grape Experiences

Peach and Ginger Cobbler and Tablas Creek Petit Manseng by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Surprise!
Wines for a Sweet & Savory Fall Harvest Meal by foodwineclick

Fall Fruit and Wine Pairing by Rockin Red Blog

Autumn Pumpkin Food Flair by Vino Travels -- An Italian Wine Blog

Butternut Squash Risotto: White Wine or Rosé by Pull That Cork
Autumn Puff Pastry Tart and La Crema Chardonnay by It's Okay to Eat the Cupcake

Join the #winePW conversation: Follow the #winePW conversation on Twitter throughout the weekend and beyond. If you're reading this early enough, you can join us for a live Twitter chat on our theme "Fall Fruits + Wine" on Saturday, October 11, from 11 a.m. to noon Eastern Time. You can also visit our group Pinterest board to pin some great pairing ideas for later! Stay tuned for the November Wine Pairing Weekend focusing on "Creative Thanksgiving Pairings", hosted by Curious Cuisiniere. This #winePW 6 will be on Saturday, November 8.