Brown Butter Butternut Squash and Sage Crostini

Ingredients

• small baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• cups cubed butternut squash (about 1/2 medium squash)
• tablespoons olive oil
• tablespoons unsalted butter
• fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
• tablespoon honey, for drizzling
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss the baguette slices with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt, then arrange on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes
2. minutes until golden and crisp. Set aside.\n
3. While the bread toasts, toss the cubed butternut squash with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a separate baking sheet for 20 minutes
4. minutes until tender. Transfer the roasted squash to a food processor and blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed to reach a thick, spreadable consistency.\n
5. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams and then brown bits form at the bottom and it smells nutty (about 3
6. minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the chopped sage leaves.\n
7. To assemble, spread a generous layer of the warm butternut squash puree onto each crostini. Drizzle a small amount of the brown butter and sage mixture over the squash, then sprinkle with the chopped toasted pecans.\n
8. Finish each crostini with a tiny drizzle of honey just before serving to enhance the sweetness and balance the savory notes.