Squash & Pancetta Baked Pasta
By 
For a casual entertaining meal that you can pop in the oven while guests are busy, make this delicious baked pasta recipe ahead of time.
You’ll Need
- 1 butternut squash, halved, seeded and peeled
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 3 Tbsp butter
- ½ cup yellow onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 6 slices of pancetta (Italian bacon) or prosciutto, chopped
- ¼ cup walnut halves, toasted
- 1 lb (4 cups) fusilli or rotini pasta
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups low-fat milk
- ½ cup gruyere cheese, shredded
- ½ cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
Prep and Cook
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut squash into 1-inch cubes.
- Place cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, tossing to coat.
- Roast for approximately 25 minutes or until tender, tossing once in between.
- In a large non-stick skillet, sauté onion and garlic in butter until onions are translucent.
- Add sage, walnuts and pancetta to the skillet and cook until the edges of the pancetta are crisp.
- Set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender or al dente.
- Drain, rinse thoroughly and put aside.
- Melt butter in pasta pot.
- Add flour and stir until combined.
- Pour in milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly.
- Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat and then continue to stir until sauce is thick and creamy.
- Remove from the heat and stir in cheese until it melts.
- Add pasta to cheese sauce mixture and toss until combined.
- If sauce seems sticky, add reserved pasta water.
- Mix squash and contents of the skillet into the pasta and spoon into a buttered 11" x 9" casserole dish.
- Top with grated parmesan cheese and bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until pasta is heated through.
