Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

This is nice when you want a change from a traditional tomato sauce.

(Makes enough sauce to go along with 12 ounces of pasta, uncooked)
About a 1 to 1 1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and cubed
1 onion, coarsely chopped
scant 1/4 cup of olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon basil (I also added some dried thyme, oregano, and rosemary, but that is optional)
salt and pepper
1 cup of chicken broth (I just used water and it tasted fine)
Grated Parmesan cheese to serve (optional)
In a large saucepan, heat the oil until hot and add onions. Cook over med-high heat, until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for about 15 seconds until fragrant.
Add the butternut squash, basil, chicken broth, and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover, bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for about ten minutes, until the squash is fork tender.
When this is accomplished, check how much chicken broth is left. You want enough to blend with the squash to make a moist sauce, but not too much, which would make a runny sauce. If there still seems to be a lot left, you can simmer uncovered to reduce.
Now you can do one of three things. 1- Mash to make a chunky sauce, 2- Put through a food mill to make a slightly chunky, slightly smooth sauce (method of my choice) 3-Put through your blender or food processor to make a smooth sauce. Once that is done….
Salt and pepper to taste, pour over whole wheat pasta, and serve!