- Butternut squash
- Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- McCormick® Peppercorn Medley
- 1 tablespoon roasted garlic butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup milk
- 3 oz Brie cheese (no rind)
- 2 oz extra sharp white cheddar cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon sage
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 8 ounces mezze penne pasta
- 3 bacon slices
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Directions:
Slice the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Smear the entire exposed surface with olive oil, salt, and generously pepper. Roast at 400 for approximately 40-45 minutes.
While the butternut squash is roasting, snip the bacon into quarter inch strips. Drop into a pan and cook until crispy. [I have found that cutting it raw before hand instead of crumbling afterwards makes for a more evenly cooked bacon "bit."] Let drain on paper towel and set aside.
Shred cheddar. Soften cream cheese. Cut Brie into small bits. Set aside.
Once the butternut squash is roasted, scoop out a generous cup for the recipe. The rest can be used for something else tasty. Alternatively, you can roast just one half. Smash or purée and set aside.
Bring to a boil water and add the pasta. I add tiny bit of salt and olive oil to my water. Cook, drain, and set aside.
In a sauteuse or high sided frying pan, melt the roasted garlic butter. Using a flat whisk or cooking fork, slowly mix in the flour until you have a thick paste. Allow the mixture to cook for a bit before very, very slowly beginning to add the milk, stirring constantly. Once the milk is completely added, allow to simmer for a few minutes to begin the thickening process.
Next, very, very slowly add in the cheeses, alternating types and stirring constantly. Once all the cheeses are melted, sprinkle sage and nutmeg across the top and salt and pepper to taste.
Now, slowly stir in the butternut squash. Mix thoroughly to ensure a complete blending. Once blended, add in the pasta and stir thoroughly.
Serve in bowls. Garnish with the bacon crispy strips.
Myrtle's Note: This recipe is half of the original. Since I had only half the brie needed, I supplemented that part of the recipe with Havarti. I am looking forward to having this again with the full portion of brie. I also substituted yellow cheddar with Wisconsin white, added sage, and started with a béchamel sauce rather than straight milk. Finally, I have seen several ways of roasting butternut squash. Usually, I cube it and toss it on the baking stone, but this time I roasted it whole. I liked not having to slice or peel, just split and seed!
Yield: 4 servings
Adapted from: http://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2011/10/roasted-butternut-squash-brie-mac.html
