Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sausage and Walnuts

This is pretty much Emeril's recipe except I made some minor tweaks...err, improvements. :)
If you want the original, it's at the above hyperlink. Also, tip for you nut buyers - look for the $2.00 bag of nuts at check out instead of buying the $15 container you found in an aisle. You know what I'm talking about. That generic candy stand that they have in the check out lanes usually includes such winners like circus peanuts, sugared orange slices and butter mints, but you can find nuts up in that mix too! Get the plain ones - no honey-roasted if you're using them for cooking.

1. 2 1/2 pounds butternut squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
2. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. Freshly grated nutmeg
5. 2 tsp powdered sage
   
6. 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
7. 4 tablespoons I Can't Believe It's Not Butter (or 3 tbsp normal butter if you must)
8. 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
9. 1 pound fusilli or other curly pasta (I used Campanelle - like pretty little flowers!)
10. 1/4 cup freshly grated aged Parmesean cheese, plus more for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. On a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons of oil and toss. Arrange in an even layer and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bake for about 30 minutes, until just tender.
2. Meanwhile, put the walnuts in a pie plate and bake for about 4 minutes, until toasted.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the sausage to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, breaking up the sausage, until no pink remains, 7 minutes.
4. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the sausage and melted butter, ( put the powdered sage in with the melted butter) and gradually stir in the cooking water over moderate heat. Gently fold in the squash, walnuts and the 1/4 cup of cheese. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl. Top with more cheese. Eat it.