Butternut Squash Macaroni Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 Butternut squash (medium; cut in half, with half diced into smaller chunks; use 200 g cooked squash for blending and reserve the diced pieces)
• 3 cloves Garlic (for blending)
• 2.5 tbsp Olive oil (source gives 2–3 tbsp for roasting; additional olive oil for frying the sage is unquantified)
• Olive oil (for frying the sage leaves; amount not specified)
• 750 g Whole milk (infused with sage and thyme)
• 1 bunch Fresh sage (small; for infusing the milk)
• 2.5 sprigs Thyme (2–3 sprigs; for infusing the milk)
• 45 g Plain white flour
• 45 g Salted butter
• 0.25 tsp Whole nutmeg (grated)
• 0.25 tsp Salt (plus a pinch for the squash; the amount of the pinch is not specified)
• 0.25 tsp Black pepper
• 0.5 cube Chicken stock cube
• 100 g Cheddar cheese (grated; plus about 20 g for the top (source also suggests parmesan instead for the topping))
• 100 g Mozzarella (grated)
• 300 g Dried macaroni
• 9 leaves Sage leaves (8–10 leaves, for frying until crispy)
• 20 g Cheddar cheese (approximately, grated for topping; source says cheddar or parmesan)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Cut the butternut squash in half, then dice half into smaller chunks.

2. 2

   Put the squash in a roasting pan, add the measured olive oil and a pinch of salt, and roast for 45–55 minutes, until soft.

3. 3

   Add the milk, small bunch of sage, and thyme sprigs to a saucepan. Heat until simmering, then keep it at a simmer for about 5 minutes to infuse.

4. 4

   In a separate pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour while whisking continuously, until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.

5. 5

   Cook the roux for a couple of minutes, whisking occasionally; keep it pale and do not let it brown.

6. 6

   Remove the sage and thyme from the infused milk. Vigorously whisk about 2–3 tablespoons of the milk into the roux until a smooth paste forms.

7. 7

   Gradually whisk in about one-third of the remaining milk, a little at a time, until incorporated. Continue adding the rest of the milk bit by bit, whisking vigorously until smooth.

8. 8

   Whisk in the grated nutmeg, measured salt, and black pepper. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

9. 9

   Blend 200 g of the cooked squash with the garlic, half a chicken stock cube, and 1 cup of béchamel sauce until smooth.

10. 10

    Pour the squash mixture back into the béchamel saucepan and stir to combine.

11. 11

    Add the grated cheddar and mozzarella to the sauce. Stir until the cheese has melted, then taste and add more seasoning if needed.

12. 12

    Cook the macaroni in water until al dente, following the package directions, then drain it.

13. 13

    Mix the drained macaroni into the butternut squash cheese sauce. Add the reserved diced squash to the pasta, or hold it back to add to individual plates later.

14. 14

    Transfer the pasta to a baking tray and scatter about 20 g of grated cheddar or parmesan over the top.

15. 15

    Bake for 20 minutes, until bubbling.

16. 16

    While the pasta bakes, fry 8–10 sage leaves in olive oil for about 1 minute, until crispy.

17. 17

    Scatter the crispy sage over the baked macaroni cheese and serve.

Notes

The source does not specify the amount of oil for frying the sage, nor the amount of extra seasoning used after tasting. It says to use 200 g cooked squash for blending and reserve the diced pieces; the precise split between the squash used for blending and the diced portion is not fully specified. The topping is described as about 20 g cheddar or parmesan.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• comfort food
• baked
• autumn
• pasta
• family dinner