Roasted Winter Squash Pasta

This recipe is part of The New York Times' "Recipes for Health" series. You can roast the squash in advance of your meal and when ready to eat, reheat in the microwave while you cook your pasta.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  small  butternut squash, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1/2-inch dice
• 3  garlic cloves, peeled, lightly crushed
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh rosemary
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3⁄4 lb pasta, either long pasta like spaghetti or 3⁄4 lb penne
• 2  ounces ricotta salata, grated or 2  ounces  crumbled  goat cheese
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley
•  parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss squash, garlic, salt and pepper, rosemary, and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large bowl.
3. Place mixture on a baking pan lined with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
4. 10 minutes into roasting the vegetables, put a pot of water on for the spaghetti. When the water comes to a boil, cook spaghetti according to package directions.
5. When squash is finished cooking, place mixture in a large wide pasta bowl. (You can either remove the garlic cloves at this point, or if you like a strong garlic flavor, finely chop the garlic and put back into the squash mixture.)
6. Stir cheese into the squash.
7. Add 1/2 cup pasta water to the mixture and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm until the pasta is done.
8. Cook pasta al dente. Drain well and toss with the squash and cheese mixture.
9. Top with the remaining oil, parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese.