Butternut Squash Pasta Recipe

Butternut Squash Pasta Recipe (makes an enormous, Sunday dinner sized portion)

1 lb bacon

1 butternut squash

2 boxes whole wheat pasta (13.25 oz size)

2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1 stick unsalted butter

1 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion

6 tbsp fresh sage

3 cups white wine

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Cook bacon and chop coarsely. Using some of the bacon grease, coat and lightly salt and pepper the butternut squash. Place in a shallow baking pan, and roast in oven at 400 degrees until softened, but not mushy, approximately 20 minutes. Cook the whole wheat pasta al dente. Mix together the bacon, squash, pasta, and spinach in a large lasagna pan.

Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a pan and add the sage and the onion, sauteeing lightly for about a minute. Add the wine, whipping cream, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, until the sauce begins to thicken (the recipe said 5 minutes, and this didn't happen for me... I ended up adding a little cornstarch to thicken it). Pour the sauce over the pasta and squash mixture, and stir to combine.

Mix together the mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the top. Put the pan in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, or until it is warmed through the cheese forms a crust on top.