BAKED PASTA W/BUTTERNUT SQUASH RICOTTA

Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Ricotta

main meals

POINTS® Value: 5 Servings: 8 Preparation Time: 25 min Cooking Time: 60 min Level of Difficulty: Moderate

This pasta casserole is a hearty yet elegant combination of whole wheat penne, rich butternut squash, toasted walnuts, ricotta and Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

• 2 sprays cooking spray
• 20 oz Butternut squash, fresh, peeled and cubed*
• 1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta
• 12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, penne
• 1 1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
• 2 Tbsp white all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
• 1 Tbsp thyme, fresh, chopped, divided
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano recommended
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Coat a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
  
  
• Place squash on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and mash.
  
  
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. After squash has been roasting for about 10 minutes, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.
  
  
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in mashed squash and 2 1/2 teaspoons of thyme. Add sauce to pasta; toss to mix and coat.
  
  
• Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish; dot with spoonfuls of ricotta and then sprinkle with Parmesan and walnuts. Bake until top is lightly browned in a few spots, about 15 to 20 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
  
  
• Place squash on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and mash.

Notes

• *Look for a 20 ounce bag of fresh, already peeled and cubed squash from your supermarket. If you can't find any, cut a medium squash in half lengthwise and place cut-side down on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Scoop squash out of skin into a large bowl, mash with a spoon and proceed as above.
  
  Alternatively, you can microwave cubed squash, covered, in a shallow microwave-safe baking dish or container with 1/4 cup of water, until cooked through; mash squash in a bowl.