Baked Pasta With Roasted Pumpkin (And Bacon)

The best part of this recipe is what it taught me about strategic moderation. A delicate hand and a light touch of high-fat/high-flavor ingredients can make a relatively healthy meal feel decadent. That may not have meant much to me as a young thing, but now–as a busy mom of two young kids who wants to keep everyone healthy, thriving, and full on to-die-for flavors–it means the world. And the world needs this dish.

Slightly adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients (makes 4-6 servings)

• Cooking spray
• 4 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled pumpkin or butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 lb favorite cut pasta, such as mini penne
• 6 slices bacon
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups reduced-fat milk
• 3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded provolone cheese
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and turn the pumpkin onto it. Sprinkle the pumpkin with rosemary, black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. When done, turn oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bring one gallon of water seasoned with 3 teaspoons of salt to a boil. Add pasta, stir, then begin measuring cooking time. Cook pasta 4 minutes fewer than indicated on the package. Drain but do not rinse the pasta. Set aside.

Cook bacon by your preferred method until crisp. Reserve 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings and crumble bacon strips before setting aside. Place pan with reserved fat over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Combine roasted squash, crumbled bacon, and sauteed shallots in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Combine flour and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone, stirring until cheese melts. Add cooked pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine.

Spoon pasta into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Top with squash mixture and evenly sprinkle Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

*Note: Though there is nothing in this that is unsafe, I recommend it beginning at 10-months-old because of how rich this is for little ones. No matter how old your eaters, be sure to serve an age appropriate portion and cut or puree into an age appropriate texture. The younger your eater, the more you want to focus on the pumpkin or squash as the main ingredients, as opposed to the pasta.

-Stacie Billis is a Brooklyn mother of two, creator of ChowBaby foods and ChowMama. A parenting-and-food writer, Stacie blogs regularly at One Hungry Mama.