Bacon and Butternut Pasta

By Reen

Ingredients

• 5 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 12 ounces uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta), campanile, or other short pasta
• 4 cups chopped kale
• 2 bacon slices
• 2 cups vertically sliced onion
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from keyingredient.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine squash and oil in a large bowl; toss well. Arrange squash mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

3. Cook pasta 7 minutes or until almost al dente, omitting salt and fat. Add kale to pan during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta mixture.

4. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

5. Bring 1 3/4 cups broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Combine remaining 1/4 cup broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to broth. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in crème fraîche.

6. Combine squash, pasta mixture, bacon, onion mixture, and sauce in a large bowl; toss gently. Place pasta mixture in a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned.