FALL IS UPON US. Sort of.
It’s fall enough to have some butternut squash in my face, it’s fall enough for me to want to smash open a can of pumpkin every time I open the cupboard, and it’s fall enough for me to wear every sweater I own all at once and look for a beanie that actually fits my enormous alien head.
Today was the first day in a while that it was actually cold. While I was on campus. With no sweatshirt. Of course. But it made me crave some butternut squash. It’s weird because I really can’t stand butternut squash unless it’s serving as a mean blanket for pasta and cheese. It’s the same with sweet potatoes except those are never allowed in my house. Sorry Oprah.
It’s been a while since I’ve had the butternut squash pasta so I took another crack at it, this time adding one of my favorite things: chorizo. There’s just something about the spicy chorizo layered with the sweetness from the butternut squash that makes me want to make out with a bowl of pasta just a little bit more than usual. Let’s get our carb on.
Butternut Squash & Chorizo Shells (or whatever pasta you love)
Makes enough for six people or two carb obsessed men
1 lb pasta
4 c cubed butternut squash, from approx. a 1 1/2 lb squash (GREAT HOW TO)
1 1/2 c milk, I used 2%
1 c chicken stock
12 oz chorizo, not the cured stuff. You want it to add to the sauce.
1 1/2 c sharp cheddar
salt and pepper
3/4 c panko bread crumbs
olive oil
First off, get a big pot of water going for the pasta and preheat the oven to 375.
In a medium sized saucepan place squash, milk, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 min, or until the squash is fork tender. Place in blender and let cool for a couple min.
Toss your pasta in the water that should be boiling. Set a timer for a minute less than what the box says to cook it.
Rinse out saucepan and add chorizo, cooking over medium heat until meat is cooked through and most of the fat has rendered, about 5 min.
Blend the squash milk stock mixture until smooth, about 30 sec. Add to chorizo, stir in cheese. Tatse to see if it needs salt and pepper. This totally depends on your cheese, chicken stock, and chorizo.
Drain pasta once the timer goes off, and add to a greased 9×13″ pan. Pour sauce over it and gently mix. Top with panko, then drizzle with olive oil. Add a sprinkle of cheese of your cheese loving heart desires. Bake for 20-30 min, until golden brown and ready for you to faceplant.
