Butternut Squash and Pancetta Pipe Rigate
This almost has a mac and cheese quality to it, so you could definitely pass it off as such for little ones. It’s also sophisticated enough to satisfy a grown up palette though for sure. This would also make an amazing side dish for any holiday.
Recipe by Tierney Larson
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
1 squash, halved, peeled, (save peels) seeds scooped out
Olive oil
Kosher salt
2 sprigs of thyme
a pinch of red pepper flakes
a few grates of fresh nutmeg, (scant 1/8 tsp)
1 tbl Mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 box (1lb) of Pipe Rigate, or penne, or rigatoni
4oz of diced Pancetta
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 small shallots, peeled and minced
A few basil leaves, torn for topping
Ok so…
Roast the Squash and make a quick broth: Preheat your oven to 400F. Place the squash halves on a large sheet pan lined with foil, and drizzle with olive oil, spreading it all over the front and back. Sprinkle with kosher salt and lay a thyme sprig on each half. Roast the squash for 30-35 min or until tender. While they roast, place the skins into a small pot and fill with water, enough to cover them. Simmer slowly along with a pinch of salt, black pepper and some thyme. You can use this broth to loosen up the squash puree later on, giving it extra squash flavor. Let it simmer as long as you’d like until it’s time to add to the purée
Blend: When the squash is done, place in a food processor along with the mascarpone, parmesan cheese, nutmeg and red pepper flakes. Give them a whir with some of the squash broth, until it’s still thick but running smoothly. Once combined and smooth, taste and add a pinch more salt if necessary, and a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside as you will be adding the shallots and garlic after you give them a quick cook later.
Start the pasta: Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and season generously with kosher salt. When it comes to a boil add the pasta and cook until al dente while you finish the sauce. You’ll need some of the pasta water so keep a ladle near by or a measuring cup.
Cook the pancetta, and some aromatics: Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet with high sides over medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil and the pancetta and let them brown for about 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove and set on a paper towel to drain off excess fat. Drain off some of the pancetta fat leaving about 1 tbl behind, add the garlic and shallot and let sizzle for about 2 min. until tender. Use a spoon to scoop out the shallot and garlic, leaving most of the fat behind and add it to the food processor along with the squash and mascarpone mixture. Give it a few whirs to combine. Taste and add more kosher salt if necessary.
Finish the Pasta in the sauce: Drain the rest of the fat off of the pan and return to the heat. Add the squash sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer (if it’s still thick you can add more squash broth but know you’ll be adding some pasta water in a second). By now your pasta should be almost done, save 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and add directly to the squash sauce. Add about 1/2 cup of pasta water and stir until the sauce has coated all the pasta, if you want add more water until your sauce is the consistency you want. Taste for doneness and then stir in a handful of parmesan. Serve sprinkled with the pancetta and some torn basil leaves.
