Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese with pureed butternut squash, flavoured and garnished with fresh sage and pancetta.

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Prep Time 1

Cook Time 1

Total Time 2

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

4 slices of pancetta roughly chopped
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh sage optional
1 shallot or small onion minced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese preferably a mature cheddar
1- 1 1/2 cups pureed butternut squash
1/2 cup whipping cream use milk if preferred
2 tbsp crumbled goats cheese for garnish - optional
300 grams dry penne or other preferred shape 2/3 of a package

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a cookie sheet with foil. Cut a small or medium butternut squash lengthwise down the centre. Scoop out the seeds and place the squash cut side down on the pan.
Roast for 40 minutes or until a knife goes into the thickest part of the squash easily (like a hot knife through butter).
Flip the squash over and scoop out the flesh using a spoon and put it in a bowl. Puree it with a potato masher. Measure out 1 cup or more if preferred and set it aside (the recipe is flexible enough that you can use more squash if you like). If it is a large squash, put any extra in a freezer bag and pop it in the freezer for another day.
Set a large pot full of water on the stove and bring to the boil in readiness to cook the pasta.
In a large and deep pan or another pot, heat the olive oil and add the pancetta. Cook the pancetta until it is crisp and then remove it from pan. Set it aside to add to the macaroni and cheese later.
If using fresh sage, add it to the hot oil to crisp up briefly and then remove it from the pan and set aside with the pancetta.
Add the minced shallot or onion to the oil and pancetta fat. Cook for several minutes or until softened.
Add the butter and when it has melted add the flour and whisk it together until it makes a paste, this is your roux. Let the flour cook for one minute and then slowly start to add the milk. Whisk in about half a cup of milk at first. Whisk vigorously as it creates a very thick paste. Then slowly add more milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. If it starts to lump, stop adding milk and whisk until the lumps have been incorporated into the sauce and then continue adding the remainder of the milk.
Whisk in the dijon mustard, salt, and pepper and bring the sauce to a simmer.
Whisk in the shredded cheese. When it has melted whisk in the pureed butternut squash and 1/2 cup of whipping cream (half and half or milk will be just fine if you prefer a lower fat option).
Turn the heat down to low or even turn it off altogether while you cook the pasta.
Cook the pasta until just barely al dente as it will continue to cook within the sauce as you bake it.
As the pasta cooks, turn the oven on to 400 F if you had turned it off after roasting the squash. Butter a large casserole dish.
Drain the now al dente pasta and add it to the cheese sauce. Pour the whole mixture into the casserole dish and top it with the reserved pancetta, crisp sage, and crumbled goat's cheese. Add some extra shredded cheddar if you like as well.
Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. It should be bubbly around the edge and starting to get golden brown in places on top.
Serve generously.