Baked Shells with Winter Squash

Does anyone remember the squash that I pureed and then froze at the end of the summer? Well, the pretty orange jars have been sitting in my freezer just waiting to become something. I would have really liked to make some sort of stuffed ravioli, but since I don't have the pasta attachment for my mixer yet, that's not going to happen. So, I did what most people with pretty orange jars of pureed squash in their freezer would do, I turned to Martha. I found the recipe in Everyday Food: Great Food Fast and you can also find it online Baked Shells with Winter Squash.

It was really, really good. It tasted like a fancy mac and cheese. The leftovers heated up beautifully the next day for lunch. And yes that is a pretty big serving for lunch, a teacher needs her stamina you know!


Baked Shells with Winter Squash
Serves 4

Butter, for baking dish
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 pound small pasta shells
1 package (12 ounces) frozen winter squash puree, thawed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 slices crusty baguette, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until onions are soft and release liquid, 15 minutes. Uncover; raise heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until onions are browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon rosemary.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes less than package instructions suggest. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking water. Return pasta to pot.

Stir squash and reserved pasta water into onions; simmer 2 minutes. Toss squash mixture and 1/2 cup Parmesan with pasta. Transfer to prepared dish.
Combine bread cubes with remaining Parmesan, rosemary, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Top pasta with bread cubes; bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

This will be my entry this week for Presto Pasta Nights, hosted by it's lovely creator Ruth at Once Upon a Feast!