Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash

Vegetarian Casserole with Squash, Greens and Cheese

Mar 6, 2007

Butternut Squash, Greens, Pasta and Fontina, Diane Laney Fitzpatrick

Warm up your weekend with this baked pasta dish, a fresh mozzarella salad and homemade rolls.

A cold, winter weekend spent at home simply calls out for this healthy comfort food. Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash is proof that you don’t have to give up the best flavors on the planet when you become a vegetarian.

Serve it with homemade Tarragon Rolls and a simple Tomato Mozzarella Salad, and settle to wait for spring!

Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash

This recipe makes enough for a dinner and another to freeze.

4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped into medium dice
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons salt
Pepper
1½ pounds medium shell pasta
4-5 shallots, thinly sliced
1½ bunches green Swiss chard, trimmed and roughly chopped
½ cup vegetable broth
1 cup half and half cream
1½ cups grated Fontina cheese
Pinch ground nutmeg
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon bread crumbs

In a large bowl, toss squash with 3 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper. Place in a single layer on cookie sheet and roast in 400 degree oven until quite soft, about 25 minutes. Remove squash from oven but leave oven on. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain completely. In a large skillet, heat remaining olive oil. Sauté the shallots until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chard, a little at a time, cooking until wilted. Add broth, bring to a simmer and cover. Cook until chard is tender, about 10 minutes. Add cream, heat through gently and season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, squash, chard mixture, Fontina and nutmeg. Toss to combine and adjust seasoning. Divide mixture between an 8-inch square casserole dish and a 9x13-inch casserole dish (or 3 8-inch square dishes). If you plan to freeze any of these, do not bake yet, and cover tightly with foil. Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan and sprinkle on top of the casseroles. Bake until bubbling and golden, about 20-25 minutes.

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

In summer, use homegrown tomatoes and leaves from your backyard basil plant to make this salad fresher than ever.

2 large Beefsteak tomatoes
8 basil leaves
8 slices mozzarella cheese

Dressing:

2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt

Mix dressing ingredients and let stand for 1 hour. Slice tomatoes into round slices

Arrange tomatoes on platter. Top each with 1 basil leaf and a generous slice of mozzarella cheese. Stir dressing well. Drizzle some over salad.

Tarragon Rolls

2½ cups flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 cup warm water (115-120 degrees)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg

In a large mixing bowl combine 1½ cups flour, yeast, parsley, tarragon and celery seed. In a small bowl, stir together water, sugar, oil and salt. Add to flour mixture; add egg. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for about 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Using spoon, stir in the remaining flour. Cover, let rise until double, about 30 minutes. Spoon into 12 greased muffin cups, filling each slightly more than half full. Cover; let rise again until nearly double, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Tips:

You can substitute almost any greens for Swiss chard in Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash. Kale, by the way, is a pleasant surprise. In the store produce department its dusty, dull appearance pales in comparison to the other greens. However, when sautéed in a skillet, it turns bright green and has a pleasant, rustic flavor.
When making Tomato & Mozzarella Salad, consider spending a little bit more and using smoked mozzarella instead. You’ll only need a thin slice to add depth and added flavor to your salad.
Making these homemade Tarragon Rolls is easier than you think. If you’re not a fan of tarragon, substitute rosemary or thyme.

For more vegetarian casseroles, see:

The copyright of the article Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash in Vegetarian Cuisine is owned by Diane Laney Fitzpatrick. Permission to republish Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash must be granted by the author in writing.