Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 2

Cut acorn squash into half and scoop out inside seeds and pulp.

Step 3

Cut into wedges, and cut those wedges in half. Lay in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through until tender and beginning to slightly brown on bottoms.

Step 4

Cook pasta according to directions and reserve one half cup of pasta cooking water.

Step 5

Fry ground sausage until halfway browned, add onion and garlic and saute until sausage is crispy and onions are caramelized.

Step 6

Add sherry and thyme, stir up browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and simmer about 5 minutes, or until reduced by half (alcohol will cook out during this time). Turn off the heat.

Step 7

Turn the heat off of the reduced sherry/sausage skillet, but leave on the burner. Add the cooked ribbon pasta, heavy cream, and half of the starchy pasta water. Toss to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.

Step 8

Sprinkle in Parmesan cheese and roasted acorn squash; toss again, adding the rest of the starchy pasta water if necessary to loosen up the sauce (thin it out, in other words.)

Step 9

Serve with extra Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.