Many of us know the summery tomato-based Panzanella salad as a quintessential example of Tuscan cooking, combining humble, fresh ingredients to create a delicious and flavorful dish. The Panzanella salad is typically made up of day-old bread semi-soaked in a vinegary dressing and mixed with fresh basil, crunchy white onions and juicy summer tomatoes, sometimes including cucumbers.

While I am not interested in changing or replacing this beautiful dish at all, why does it have to be relegated to the summer tomato season? Introducing the autumn Panzanella, which celebrates the warmer and comforting flavors of chilly nights: roasted butternut squash, luscious brown butter dressing and fragrant sage, all topped with warm hazelnuts. This might just become your new favorite dish to welcome autumn.

Autumn Panzanella Salad

Start to finish: 60 minutes

Servings: 4-6

1 bunch kale or a mix of hearty dark greens

1 large butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled

Extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Brown Butter Vinaigrette (instructions follow)

4 cups croutons (instructions for Homemade Croutons follow)

Neutral oil such as vegetable, grapeseed or canola, approx. 2 cups

16 fresh sage leaves

3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Strip your kale and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Set aside.

Halve and seed butternut squash and slice each half into 1/2-inch thick crescents. Toss with olive oil to coat, approximately 3 tablespoons. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 26 to 30 minutes until tender and caramelized, rotating the pan and turning squash halfway for even browning.

Toss the sliced onion in a small bowl with the vinegar and let sit for 20 minutes to remove the onion’s bite.

Place half of the croutons and kale in a large salad bowl and toss with 1/3 cup of vinaigrette, letting sit for 10 minutes.

Fry the sage by pouring an inch of neutral oil into a small, heavy-bottomed pot and heat it over medium-high heat, to about 360°F (182°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, simply drop one of the sage leaves into the oil once hot. If it sizzles, your oil is ready.

The oil will bubble up at first, so once it has died down, add the sage leaves in batches. Leave in for 30 seconds and then remove with a slotted spoon and place onto a prepared, paper towel-lined baking sheet. Let the sage dry in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.

Add the remaining croutons, squash, hazelnuts and onions (not the vinegar) into the salad bowl. Crumble in the fried sage. Toss with remaining vinaigrette and taste. Add more salt, oil or onion-vinegar as desired.

You can refrigerate the leftovers, covered, for one day.

Brown Butter Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons finely diced shallot

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, browned

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

In a small bowl or jar, let the shallot sit in the vinegar for 15 minutes to take the bite off.

Brown your butter in a small skillet, stirring constantly until butter begins to turn golden and give off a nutty fragrance.

Add browned butter, a generous pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper to the shallot.

Stir or shake to mix, then taste with a piece of kale and adjust salt based on your preference.

If not using right away, cover and refrigerate for up to three days. Bring leftovers back to room temperature before using.

Homemade Croutons

1-pound loaf day-old country or sourdough bread or baguette

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). For softer croutons, remove crusts. Cut the loaf into inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into inch-wide strips and then into inch-sized cubes, or tear into inch-size pieces.

Toss croutons with olive oil to coat them evenly and then spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. If croutons are crowded on one sheet, use a second one to avoid steaming.

Toast the croutons for 12 to 18 minutes. Begin checking them after 8 minutes to avoid burning, rotating the pans and turning over croutons for even baking. Bake until golden brown, removing them from the oven as soon as most of them are ready; they can finish baking on the sheet.

Let croutons cool in a single layer. You can use them immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

(This recipe was adapted from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat.)