Baked Goat Cheese and Roasted Winter Squash over Garlicky Fettucine

Tonight's Meatless Monday entree was a pasta recipe which Val has been making for several years and loves. It is often her go to recipe for pasta or when she is craving butternut squash and now I understand why. I think it is the sheer simplicity of this recipe that makes it perfect. You oven roast some cubed pieces of winter squash with some red pepper pieces. Meanwhile you cook up some pasta and once done, put it back in the pot with some of the pasta water, some crushed red pepper, minced garlic, a little olive oil and salt. This simple pasta gets served with some of the roasted squash mixture and topped with a slice of baked goat cheese. As simple as this dish sounds, it is spectacular and I highly recommend you try it.



Baked Goat Cheese and Roasted Winter Squash over Garlicky Fettucine
Adapted from Cooking Light

3 cups (1-inch) cubed, peeled kabocha or butternut squash (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into i-inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black black pepper
1 (4-ounce) package goat cheese
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
8 ounces uncooked fettucine
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place squash and bell pepper in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil; toss well. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and black pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes, stirring once.

Place goat cheese in freezer 10 minutes Cut cheese crosswise into 4 equal rounds. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Dredge each round in breadcrumbs; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 6 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to pan; add reserved pasta cooking water, remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and garlic, tossing to coat. Place 1 1/4 cups pasta in each of 4 shallow bowls; top each serving with about 1/2 cup squash mixture and 1 goat cheese round.


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