Whole Grain Pasta w/ Squash, Fontina & Parmesan
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled & cut into ½" dice
- 1 cup red onion, cut into ¹⁄₈” dice
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed & peeled
- kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped sage leaves
- 4 cups mixed spinach & pea tendrils
- large pot of salted water for pasta
- 1 lb whole grain penne pasta
- ½ lb red bliss potatoes, sliced
- touch of grated nutmeg
- 6 oz grated Parmesan cheese (divided as 4 oz & 2 oz)
- 4 oz diced fontina cheese
- 1 cup toasted breadcrumbs
- ground black pepper to taste
How-to
- Melt the butter in a large oven-proof sauté pan over medium-high heat
- Add the squash, onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, cover with a round of parchment paper (or a lid), and cook 7 minutes or until the vegetables are golden brown and tender
- Add the sage, spinach and pea tendrils and cook an additional minute. Remove the pan from the heat
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
- Add the pasta and potatoes and cook 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the pasta is al dente
- Ladle 3 cups of pasta water into a container and reserve
- Strain the pasta mixture through a colander and add to the pan with the squash
- Add the fontina cheese, ⅔ of the Parmesan and a few gratings of nutmeg and toss well over medium heat
- Add the pasta water and continue to toss until the cheeses are melted and a creamy sauce results
- Preheat the broiler and situate an oven rack on the top slot
- Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and the breadcrumbs cook under the broiler 5 minutes or until the top is toasty brown