Gourmet Butternut Squash Macaroni & Cheese
- Reviews 1
Ready In: 1 hr
Serves: 4-6
Yields: 6 cups
Ingredients
SQUASH
- 1 medium butternut squash, cut into cubes but not peeled
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- salt and pepper
MACARONI
- one 16-oz box elbow macaroni (cavatappi pasta is also recommended)
CHEESE SAUCE
- 1⁄4 lb unsalted butter
- 4 cups milk
- 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 8 ounces locatelli cheese, grated
- nutmeg
- salt
- white pepper
TOPPING
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 ounces locatelli cheese, grated
Directions
- Season the squash with salt and pepper as desired.
- Spread water and butter on a sheet pan. Place the squash, flesh side down, on the pan.
- Roast until the squash is tender (fork-able) them remove from oven and cool.
- I guess if you're using frozen squash, you can skip the next step.
- Scoop out the flesh and place in a food processor, pulse until the squash is pureed. Measure out 1/2 cup puree; save the remainder for soup or another use.
- Cook pasta al dente in salted water, and drain.
- For the sauce: Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Whisk in the flour and dry mustard.
- Add the milk slowly, whisking continuously until smooth.
- Add some nutmeg and cook on low heat until the sauce thickens and the flour taste dissipates.
- Whisk in the cheese, a little at a time, until all the cheese has been incorporated. Fold in the 1/2 cup squash puree. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Stir together the pasta and sauce in a large mixing bowl. Spread in a greased shallow baking dish.
- To make the topping, melt the butter in a pan then stir in the pank and mix until the crumbs are well coated with butter. Stir in the cheese.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the pasta.
- Bake at 350 until golden brown, probably 25-35 minutes.
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