Fontina Mac with Squash and Sage
A sophisticated twist on classic mac and cheese featuring butternut squash, fontina and Swiss cheeses, topped with crispy sage leaves and homemade Parmesan crisps. The creamy sauce gets extra depth from the pureed butternut squash.
Ingredients
- •6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
- •8 ounces shell pasta
- •2½ tablespoons butter
- •12 leaves fresh sage
- •2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- •3 cups 1 percent milk
- •1½ pounds butternut squash
- •2 cloves garlic
- •½ tsp salt
- •2 cups shredded Fontina
- •1⅓ cups reduced-fat shredded Swiss cheese
- •¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Heat oven to 375°. On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, shape Parmesan into 8 2-inch rounds. Bake until golden, 10 minutes; remove from sheet to cool. Cook pasta as directed on package; set aside. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 2 teaspoons butter. Cook whole sage leaves until crisp, 45 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving butter. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until light brown, 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cook, 5 minutes. Add squash, garlic, reserved butter and salt. Cover; simmer until squash is very soft, 25 minutes. In a food processor, puree squash mixture. In a pot over medium-low heat, heat squash puree, Fontina, Swiss, chopped sage and cayenne; stir until cheese melts. Stir in pasta. Serve with Parmesan crisps and sage leaves.
45 min
