PointsPlus Baked Pasta With Butternut Squash And Ricotta Recipe
PointsPlus Baked Pasta With Butternut Squash And Ricotta Recipe
The combination of whole-wheat pasta, sweet butternut squash, and ricotta and parmesan cheeses is sure to silence those hunger pangs.
Servings
8
Ingredients
- 20 ounce fresh butternut squash, peeled and cubed*
- 5/8 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounce whole-wheat pasta, preferably penne
- 1 1/4 cup skim milk
- 2 tablespoon white all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, preferably parmigiano-reggiano, grated
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Coat a 2 ½- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place the squash on the baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender, about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add 1/8 teaspoon of the salt. After the squash has been roasting for about 10 minutes, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return to pot. Remove the squash from the oven, and transfer to a large bowl and mash.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together the milk, flour, garlic, remaining salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the mashed squash and 2 ½ teaspoons of thyme. Add the sauce to the pasta, and toss.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the baking dish and dot with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle with parmesan and walnuts, and bake in the oven until top is lightly browned in a few spots, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining thyme.