Butternut Squash Macaroni And Cheese - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb butternut squash (about 3 cups peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes)
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh black pepper
1 lb short pasta (rotini, cellentani, or elbow macaroni)
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (storebought okay)
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons parmigiano-reggiano cheese, finely grated, divided
2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs, crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
olive-oil cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375\u00b0F.
Combine squash, water (or stock) and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash contents of saucepan; stir in nutmeg, cayenne and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles; cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl; stir in squash mixture, cheddar, ricotta, and 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish (4 inches deep) with cooking spray. Transfer noodle mixture to dish. In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, and oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.
Cover with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking until lightly browned and crisp on top, 30-40 minutes more.