winter squash and spinach pasta bake – smitten kitchen


  • 1 giant egg
  • 1 cup (250 grams) ricotta
  • 1 cup (100 grams) finely grated parmesan, divided
  • 1 cup (85 grams) coarsely grated fontina cheese
  • 1 1/4 cups (300 grams) water
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon (8.4 grams) kosher salt (I exploit Diamond; use much less of different manufacturers)
  • Freshly grated nutmeg (elective)
  • Freshly floor black pepper
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon purple pepper flakes, to style
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 5 ounces (140 grams) child spinach, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons thinly-sliced sage leaves or 1 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves (elective)
  • 1 1/4-pound (560-grams) butternut or one other sturdy winter squash, peeled, seeded, sliced skinny or 1 pound (455 grams) in ready chunks, sliced skinny
  • 8 ounces (225 grams) dried pasta (see Word), damaged into items if giant/lengthy

Warmth oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a 9-inch springform with 3-inch sides (see Word) with a sling of parchment paper, urgent it throughout the underside and creasing the perimeters to get it to suit as finest as attainable. If the perimeters aren’t effectively coated, repeat with a second piece of parchment within the different path.

Whisk egg and ricotta in a big bowl. Stir in half of the parmesan, fontina, water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, a couple of gratings of contemporary nutmeg, numerous freshly floor black pepper, purple pepper flakes, and garlic. Stir in squash, spinach, and sage or thyme, if utilizing. Add dried noodles and stir till every part is coated.

Pour into ready pan and press gently so every part is in as even of a layer as attainable. Sprinkle with second half of parmesan. Gently fold any parchment that extends over the rim of the pan into the middle and canopy the pan tightly with foil. Bake on a sheet (for further safety in opposition to drips) for 1 hour, then take away foil, reopen the parchment folded excessive, and drizzle the dish with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Return to the oven uncovered for half-hour. Pasta will likely be baked by way of and the highest will likely be crisp. If it doesn’t have as a lot coloration as you’d like on prime, you’ll be able to end it below the broiler for a minute or two.

Cool in pan on a rack for half-hour earlier than eradicating the springform ring, sliding the pasta bake by its parchment onto a serving plate, and reduce it into wedges.

Do forward: This retains within the fridge for as much as 1 week. Rewarm uncovered in a 350-degree oven. I haven’t frozen it, however would anticipate it to freeze effectively, tightly wrapped.

Notes:
* Structural word: Like a lasagna, that is extra moist and messy when it first comes out of the oven. I like to recommend a 30-minute relaxation at minimal (what you see right here within the free slices) however will probably be cleaner to chop and extra set the longer it hangs out. It reheats fantastically and retains as much as per week within the fridge. Final night time, we reheated wedges from 6 days in the past they usually had been (nonetheless) perfection.

* Pan dimension: I solely examined this in a 9-inch springform however would anticipate it to additionally slot in a 11 to 12-inch ovenproof skillet and in addition, much less glamorously, a 9×13-inch baking dish. No have to line with parchment in case you’re serving it from the pan or not frightened about leakage.

* Pasta form: I’m utilizing a ribbon-shaped pasta known as mafaldine or reginette. You could find it from many manufacturers with slight variations reminiscent of: Anna (what I used), Sfoglini, Garofalo, Eataly. Traditional ruffle-edged lasagna noodles damaged into items will work too.

* Adaptation notes: I used Ottolenghi’s recipe as normal inspiration, however not a literal information. I skipped the tomatoes, pine nuts, feta, basil, parsley, and even the contemporary noodles, as an alternative utilizing dried ones and including extra liquid so they may totally cook dinner. I add some fontina for richness, a bit extra parmesan, extra salt, and sage.

* Salt [an update]: There have been so many feedback in regards to the salt stage, I’m including the load of the salt and extra steerage. As initially famous, Diamond model kosher salt is far lighter than different manufacturers of kosher salt so in case you’re not utilizing it, it’s a superb apply to make use of half of some other model when studying a recipe. Extra about salts right here.

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