4-Cheese Pumpkin Pasta Bake

Sat, 24 October 2020

Chef: Caroline Gray, editor of Easy Food Magazine

4-Cheese Pumpkin Pasta Bake
(serves 4)

Ingredients:
1 x 2lb pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
250g pasta shells (conghile works well)
Salt and black pepper
130g pancetta, diced
250g Brussels sprouts, sliced
7-10 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
400ml cream
½ of a ball of Mozzarella, torn
3 tbsp blue cheese, crumbled
80g Parmesan, grated
60g fontina (or Emmental cheese), grated

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200?C/180?C fan/gas mark 6. Toss the cubed pumpkin or butternut squash with half of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until soft and roasted. Leave to cool slightly.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 7-8 minutes until al dente (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and rinse under cool water.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a pot over a medium-high heat and cook the pancetta for a few minutes until crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon and leave to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
4. Add the sliced Brussels sprouts to the pot and sauté until browned and slightly crisp.
5. Add the pancetta back to the pan, then stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and thyme and cook for a minute to warm through.
6. Purée the pumpkin/squash and cream until just smooth; avoid over-mixing, as this could curdle the cream.
7. Pour into the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the cheeses, then fold through the pasta.
8. Transfer to a 23cm baking dish and pop into the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the top of the pasta is slightly toasted.