Harvest Moon Macaroni
For a complete meal, serve with Baba Ganoush and Pita Crisps and Spicy Sundaes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni, such as cassarecci, strozzopretti or ziti with lines
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose four
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Nutmeg, grated, to taste
- 1 box frozen butternut squash (10 ounces), defrosted
- A few dashes of hot sauce
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 1 cup extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese
- A handful of fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Preparation
Bring a pot of water to a boil, season with salt and cook the macaroni to al dente.
Pre-heat the broiler and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
Heat the EVOO in a saucepot over medium heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until soft, 6-7 minutes, and stir in the thyme.
Scoot the onions off to the side of the pan and melt the butter. Whisk the flour into the butter and combine, about 1 minute. Whisk in the stock and milk, then season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the defrosted butternut squash and a few dashes of hot sauce. Reduce the heat. When the sauce comes to a bubble, stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Combine the sauce and macaroni, transfer to a casserole dish and top with the shredded yellow cheddar cheese, parsley and paprika. Brown the macaroni under the broiler, 4-5 minutes, until brown and bubbly.
