This Mac and Cheese is gourmet enough to serve to guests, put with a nice crisp salad. It looks fantastic and is so yummy and creamy.
Great way to get squash into children young and old without them knowing it.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Topping (optional)
3/4 cup gluten free bread crumbs or gf brown rice crispies
1 TBS melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated hard cheese
Mix topping ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
1 lb (450g) Gluten Free Pasta (macaroni, penne or fusilli shape)
2 TBS of butter
1/4 cup minced onion (half of one medium size onion)
1 full roasted squah or 1-28oz can mashed or canned pumpkin or butternut squash to equal approx 4 cups cooked squash
1 1/4 cups good quality organic chicken stock, homemade or store bought
1 cup Water
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
8oz cream cheese cut into cubes
1 cup heavy cream or half & half
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2-1 tsp unrefined sea salt
Few cranks of fresh ground pepper
1 tsp Herbs de Provence or thyme
2 cups grated cheddar
Instructions
Clean and dry off outside of
squash and slice in half (scrape out seeds)
Place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until a knife slides in through flesh easily.
Measure out 4 cups squash. Any extra squash can be added to soups or seasoned and enjoyed as a side.
Put a large stockpot of water on medium-high heat with a few large pinches of sea salt before starting next step.
In a large saucepan melt the butter and add the squash, chicken stock,
water, nutmeg, salt & pepper and Herbs de Provence. Bring to a boil stirring frequently. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until some of the liquid as reduced and it is less soupy.
Add the cream cheese, cream and dijon. Mash it all in together until squash and cream cheese are nicely blended. Turn off the heat and season with more sea salt and fresh pepper to taste. Stir in the cheddar cheese.
Put water on high heat. With water to a rolling boil, add pasta and cook until tender (if using an all brown rice pasta don’t forget to rinse your pasta well and let it drip dry for a good 5 minutes or it will be mushy and starchy).
Add the pasta back to the pot and pour the sauce in and toss well. Pour into a 9 x 13 buttered casserole dish. Top with the bread crumb topping and bake at 350*F for 30 minutes.
Can be frozen before baking.