Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash

  peeled, seeded and cubed, (about 4 cups)
• 6 slices thick-cut hickory-smoked bacon

  crisp-cooked and broken into ½” pieces
• 1 cup shallots

  diced
• 2 cloves garlic

  minced
• 8-12 oz. penne pasta

  cooked and drained
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. salt

  divided use
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

  or more
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

  as needed
• 1 cup provolone cheese

  shredded
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

  shredded or more if desired

Instructions

• 1 Preheat oven to 425°.
• 2 Peel, seed and cube butternut squash.
• 3 Place in a well-sprayed 10x15” glass baking dish.
• 4 Sprinkle with at least a ½ tsp. each of salt, pepper and rosemary.
• 5 Drizzle a few tablespoonfuls olive oil over top.
• 6 Bake at 425° for about 45 minutes until squash is done.
• 7 Meanwhile, fry bacon in a large skillet.
• 8 Once cooked, place bacon on paper towels to absorb extra grease and cool.
• 9 Break bacon pieces into ½” pieces and set aside.
• 10 Reserve about 1/3 cup of the bacon grease.
• 11 Add shallots and garlic to bacon grease in pan and sauté until tender.
• 12 Stir in flour and continue whisking for about 30 seconds.
• 13 Slowly add whipping cream, about 1/8 cup at a time until all is incorporated.
• 14 Add remaining salt, nutmeg, and pepper, to taste.
• 15 Check seasonings.
• 16 Add more salt and pepper if desired.
• 17 Cook over low-medium heat until thickened.
• 18 Bring water to a boil in a large stock pot.
• 19 Add penne pasta and cook according to package directions.
• 20 Drain in colander.
• 21 Turn off heat in the skillet containing the cream sauce.
• 22 Add the pasta and stir to combine.
• 23 Once the butternut squash is cooked, remove about one fourth of the squash and
  set it aside in a bowl.
• 24 To the remaining three-fourths of the butternut squash in the 10x15” glass
  baking dish, add all of the pasta/cream mixture, three-fourths of the bacon, and
  three fourths of each of the cheeses.
• 25 Stir well to combine.
• 26 Sprinkle top with remaining one-quarter butternut squash, remaining one-quarter
  bacon, and remaining cheeses.
• 27 Add more cheese, if desired.
• 28 Bake at 425° for about 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
• 29 Tent with foil, if necessary to avoid over-browning.

Nutrition Info