Recipe: Fall Pasta Bake

We love fall vegetables, and this dish showcases several of them in a hearty, vegetarian pasta bake.  This is a great pasta for a cozy dinner party, or to cook at the beginning of the week and save - leftovers will be good for a few days, or could even be frozen.  

Ingredients:

14 ounces of penne

1 pound of cubed butternut squash

1 bunch of Tuscan kale, roughly chopped

1/2 pound of cremini mushrooms, chopped

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 large shallot, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely diced

1/2 cup of chicken broth

1 15-ounce container of ricotta cheese

1 8-ounce ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, grated

2 cups of tomato sauce (whatever kind you prefer, we like Vodka sauce in this recipe)

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook the pasta to package instructions and set aside.

Boil water in a separate pot, and add the butternut squash.  Boil until tender, about ten minutes.  Strain, allow to cool slightly, and mash the squash.

In a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over low to medium heat.  Add the shallot, cook for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes.  Add the mushroom and kale, then stir and cook down for 2-3 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and cover until it cooks down, about 5 more minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tomato sauce, butternut squash, kale-mushroom mixture, ricotta, and mozzarella.  

Use the last of the olive oil to coat a 9x9" baking dish, then add the ingredients, packing tightly.

Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, removing foil only for the last 5 minutes to allow a light crust to form.

Allow to cool slightly, and serve.  This slices like a lasagna, but often breaks apart once served, as it isn't so well stacked.  

Serves 8.