Butternut Squash, Sausage, & 3 Cheese Pasta Al Forno

Butternut Squash, sausage and three cheese pasta al forno. Do you need a great way to utilize that butternut squash that's sitting on your counter? Well, make this creamy, delicious pasta al forno with a ton of cheese. It'll be a good one, trust me. I remember bringing this to a New Years Eve party and everyone was asking "who brought this?"

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SAUSAGE AND THREE CHEESE PASTA AL FORNO

Recipe by Mark Calaminici | Food Loves Company

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 hot sausages, casings removed and crumbled

¼ cup butter

2 shallots, chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

salt

freshly cracked pepper

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks

4-5 cups chicken stock

200g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

1 lb Rigatoni

300g Fontina, shredded

8oz fresh mozzarella di bufala

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. In a large pot over medium heat, heat a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add sausage and sauté until half cooked. Remove and set aside.

3. In a large pot over medium heat, heat a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and butter. Add shallots, garlic and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Saute until shallots and garlic are tender. Add butternut squash, chicken stock and simmer until squash is soft, about 30-40 minutes.

4. Add sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender right in the pot and blend to make a smooth purée. Once pureed, add sauce back to pot with the cooked sausage, a small handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano mix to incorporate all the ingredients.

5. Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions.

6. Drain the pasta and add the butternut squash puree to the pot with the pasta and mix to incorporate.

7. Put a layer of pasta on the bottom of an oven dish. Cover with some of the fontina and mozzarella di bufala. Repeat the steps until you fill the oven dish. Once finished, add the rest of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and place in the oven at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until nice and golden brown. Everyone loves those crispy edges and bits. Enjoy!

Until next time, ciao!