Baked Pasta With Squash And Kale
This recipe combines the sweet flavors of roasted red kuri squash and hearty kale with a creamy bechamel sauce, all layered with pasta and topped with a cheesy, crunchy hazelnut topping. This comforting and flavorful dish is perfect for a cozy family dinner or a special gathering with friends.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs red kuri squash (or butternut)
- 1 bundle of kale, stems removed and chopped
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup Parmesan
- 3/4 cup ricotta
- 12 ounces pasta (I used a whole wheat fusilli pasta from Community Grains)
- 1/3 cup hazelnuts
- pasta liquid
- salt and pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup wheat flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon sage, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- roasting the squash and kale
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Chop the squash into 1 inch pieces by first slicing it in half, removing the seeds, then slicing into long wedges. Sliced the wedges into bite size squares and then finally, slice the outer skin off each piece. Toss the squash in a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a few pinches of salt, then roast at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Add chopped kale and onion to the squash for the last 5-10 minutes of roasting.
- for the Bechamel Sauce
- Melt your butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add your flour and stir it into the butter until smooth. Cook the mixture together for a minute, stirring constantly. Pour in a small drizzle of your milk, whisking constantly into the butter-flour mixture until smooth. Continue to drizzle a very small amount at a time, whisking constantly. Once you’ve added a little over half of your milk, you’ll find that you have more of a thick sauce or batter, and you can start adding the milk in larger splashes, being sure to keep mixing. Once all of the milk is added, add the salt, sage, and few grinds of black pepper, and bring the mixture to a lower simmer and cook it, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- assembling the pasta
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente (a little crunch left in a bite). Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid.
- In a large bowl, combine the squash and kale mixture with the pasta. Pour the bechamel over and toss, gently to combine. If more liquid is needed add a bit of the reserved pasta liquid.
- Lightly butter a rectangular baking dish. Spoon out half of the pasta and veggies into the dish then add a layer of half of the cheese. Place remaining pasta and veggies over the cheese then top with remaining cheese and all of the hazelnuts.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.
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