Baked Rigatoni with Butternut Squash, Kale, Sage and Pecans
Total Time
1 hour and 10 minutes
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(22)
Ingredients
6 servings
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (or use 1/2 butter)
- 1 red onion,diced (2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 3-4 cups butternut squash, peeled, diced into 3/4 inch cubes
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, thick stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces.
- 3 cups veggie broth or chicken stock ( I used water with 2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon paste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces dry pasta- penne, ziti, rigatoni, etc. ( about 3 1/4 cups)
- 16 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 3-4 ounces fresh burrata or mozzarella cheese ball, or sub grated mozzarella
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese or parmesan ( pecorino elevates here!)
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
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Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400F
Step 2
In a large, 12-inch, oven-proof skillet or braiser, saute onion in olive oil over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, stirring until fragrant. Add garlic, butternut squash, sage, and salt, lower heat to medium, and saute for 5 minutes, until about halfway cooked. Stir in nutmeg and kale, saute for 1-2 minutes until slightly wilted. Scoot this all to a plate and set aside.
Step 3
To the same pan, pour in the broth and pasta and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.
Step 4
Season the broth with salt and pepper – you want this to taste quite flavorful- otherwise pasta may be bland. Spoon in half of the butternut-kale mixture over the pasta.
Step 5
Spoon the ricotta over the top in dollops, scatter with burrata (cut it up a bit) or mozzarella.
Step 6
Cover with the remaining butternut/kale mixture, arranging it a bit. Tuck any pasta that has risen, underneath to ensure it cooks properly.
Step 7
Sprinkle with pecorino cheese and crushed nuts.
Step 8
Cover tightly with a lid, or use parchment and foil (parchment will prevent foil from touching food) and bring to a simmer.
Step 9
Once simmering, place in the 400F oven for 25 minutes. You must have a tight seal here for the pasta to cook.
Step 10
Uncover, tuck any pasta that has risen down underneath so it softens, and continue baking until golden, 12-15 more minutes. If it seems watery, continue baking or simmer gently on the stovetop, cooking off any excess liquid.
Step 11
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