cheese Archives - Marisa's Italian Kitchen

This elegant Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake will take center stage at your next family gathering or celebratory meal. A comforting and eye pleasing pasta dish made with oven roasted butternut squash, baby arugula and a creamy cheese sauce with a hint of rosemary.

We celebrated hubby’s birthday last weekend and I say weekend because Saturday was reserved for chocolate profiterole cake…yum… and Sunday, this stunning Butternut Squash and Paccheri pasta cake!

This was a special request from hubby after returning home one evening with the latest “Bon Appétit” magazine featuring a baked pasta dish made with peas and mint and largely resembling a cake.

I’ve made a few changes to the recipe mainly by replacing the peas with some seasonal and sweet oven roasted butternut squash which I then tossed with the cooked pasta. I also substituted the mint with some chopped rosemary however sage would work wonderfully as well.

Since I couldn’t come across Fontina cheese in my area, I replaced it with freshly grated Asiago cheese, a cow’s milk cheese which melted beautifully in the silky smooth sauce. The aromas where simply wonderful!

I was almost tempted to line my springform pan with parchment paper for easier release of the pasta cake but I’m so glad I didn’t because buttering the pan and then sprinkling it all around with Parmesan cheese will give you that beautiful crusty exterior we all love so much.

There won’t be any fighting for the crusty end pieces with this dish for sure!

You’ll also want to save some roasted butternut squash for garnishing the pasta cake!

So, if you have a birthday coming up soon and you LOVE pasta then this Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake is definitely for you!

But why wait for your birthday! Make it this weekend, take a photo and tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Happy cooking!

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Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake

This elegant Butternut Squash Paccheri Pasta Bake will take center stage at your next family gathering celebrations. Its creamy, cheesy and so easy to make.

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -8 servings

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

4 cups diced butternut squash
olive oil for drizzling over butternut squash
1/4 cup unsalted butter plus more for greasing the pan
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 large egg lightly beaten
fine sea salt or kosher salt to your taste
freshly ground pepper to your taste
500 grams paccheri pasta or rigatoni
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the chopped butternut squash on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender.
Set the cooked butternut squash aside while continuing with the rest of the recipe.
Butter a 9 inch springform pan with softened butter.
Sprinkle the pan all over with 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt 1/4 of the butter over medium heat.
Add the all purpose flour to the melted butter and cook while whisking for 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the milk.
Reduce the heat slightly and let he sauce simmer while whisking often, until the sauce has thickened, for about 20 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the Asiago cheese and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
Whisk in the lightly beaten egg and season with salt and pepper.
Cover the saucepan and keep warm.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta just until al dente or firm to the bite.
Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the cooked butternut squash, arugula, parsley and rosemary to the pasta bowl.
Stir in the cheese sauce until well combined.
Transfer half of the pasta mixture to the prepared springform pan.
In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and lemon zest then spoon half over the pasta.
Transfer the remaining pasta into the pan and spoon the remaining ricotta mixture over the pasta.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Let the baked pasta rest for about 1/2 hour before releasing from the pan.
Cut into wedges and serve.

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti is a typical Roman style dish and literally translates to cheese and pepper. It is Italy’s equivalence to our mac and cheese without the addition of cream. A rather humble dish with a small supporting cast and which Romans have been making for quite some time, dating way back to the Roman Empire.

Much as the name implies, this dish consists of very few ingredients. Cheese…as in lots of cheese, pepper and of course spaghetti.

Although not overly complicated to prepare, the cheese sauce does require some practice so as it doesn’t coagulate into soft clumpy strands. Mind you, even if it does it is still quite yummy!

In order to achieve a creamy smooth consistency so as each strand of pasta is delicately coated with cheesy goodness, work with good quality room temperature cheese and not one straight from the freezer or fridge.

You’ll also want to have both cheeses finely grated in a heat proof bowl, tossed together with some freshly cracked black pepper, ready and waiting for its first ladle of slightly cooled starchy pasta water all the while being transformed into a delicate creamy sauce.

I served up this spaghetti dish with oven roasted cherry tomatoes, some crusty bread and a crispy salad. It is absolutely delicious! Also, it makes a quick and easy just about anytime meal that is ready in under 30 minutes!

Buon Appetito!

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Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

A quick and easy yet flavorful pasta dish utilizing a few good quality ingredients. Italy's version of an ever popular mac and cheese.

Course: Diner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -6

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

1 cup grated Grana Padano cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
freshly cracked black pepper to your taste
454 grams Spaghetti

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil.
Salt the boiling water and add in the spaghetti. (use less salt then you would normally because we are adding the pasta water to the cheeses which are salty on their own)
Cook while stirring occasionally so that the spaghetti does not stick together and remove 2 minutes before the suggested cooking time.
Reserve 2 cups of pasta water and set aside to cool slightly. (You'll probable not need all 2 cups)
Meanwhile heat up a large skillet over medium heat and toast a generous amount of freshly cracked coarse black pepper for about 30 seconds, stirring often.
Add in a ladle of pasta water and let this simmer to infuse the pasta water with the freshly ground pepper for another 30 seconds then remove the pan from the heat.
Toss in the drained spaghetti.
Place both cheeses in a medium sized bowl and whisk in a ladle of reserved and slightly cooled pasta water to form a sauce.
Quickly pour the cheese mixture over the spaghetti while stirring vigorously and add in an additional ladle of pasta water.
Stir well and if the spaghetti seem a little dry, add more pasta water, continuing to stir just until the cheeses have melted and a creamy sauce is obtained while generously coating the pasta.
Plate and serve with additional cracked black pepper, grated cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.