30-Minute Delicata Squash Pasta

familystylefood.com
serves 4
Enjoy a quick and savory vegetarian pasta dish in about half an hour! This fantastic pasta combines roasted delicata squash, caramelized onion and chili in a creamy Parmesan sauce with wilted greens.
Ingredients

1 delicata squash, about 16 ounces, the striated green and sunset-yellow skin is tender when cooked and totally edible
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup sliced shallot or onion
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 garlic clove, grated or finely chopped
½ teaspoon crushed red chili, or 1 crumbled chili de arbol
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
8 ounces rigatoni or mezze rigatoni
⅓ cup heavy cream
¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 big handfuls washed chopped greens, such as spinach, kale or arugula

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 (220 C) degrees.
Trim the stem and root end off the squash and slice it in half lengthwise. Scrape a spoon along down the length of the pieces to remove the seeds and strings. Slice each half in half again, then cut into ½-inch wide chunks.
Put the squash in a large mixing bowl with the olive oil, shallot, garlic, salt and red pepper. Toss to coat, then transfer to a half-size (13"x15") rimmed baking sheet — or mix the veggies and seasonings directly on the baking sheet.
Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring everything around halfway through, until the squash is tender and nicely brown. Drizzle the balsamic over the squash as soon as it comes out of the oven and stir gently with a spatula.
While the squash is roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente. Before draining the pasta, add the greens to the colander. The brief contact with the boiling pasta water will wilt the greens. If you're using a tender green like arugula, just toss it in after draining the pasta.
Transfer the pasta and greens back to the pasta cooking pot and stir in the cream and Parmesan.
Add the squash to the pasta and toss together. Serve hot with additional cheese and chili to your taste.

Notes and Tips

Add crumbled cook bacon or crisp prosciutto to the pasta when serving for a hit of protein.
One delicata squash weighs around a pound, more or less. If you’re scaling up the recipe to serve 6-8 people, use two delicata squash
The prepared pasta keeps refrigerated for 3-4 days. The pasta will absorb the sauce as it sits, so add a few more drops of cream and/or broth to the pasta when reheating.