Pappardelle with Hot Italian Sausage, Butternut Squash, Sage, and Taleggio Cheese

1 package hot Italian sausage (around 5 sausages), removed from casings
2 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
5 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
1 lb pappardelle pasta
4 oz taleggio cheese
Salt and pepper

Start a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, usually around 10 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse. Add pasta back to its cooking pot with around 1/4 cup of the water it was cooked in.

Crumble and brown the sausage in a pan. Set aside. Add the butternut squash and stock and cook over medium high heat until the squash is soft and the broth is bright orange. Add the sausage back to the pan with the soft squash and sage. Season to taste. Toss the mixture in with the pasta. Split the pasta and sauce evenly into four pasta bowls and top with 1 oz of taleggio cheese each.

Serves 4