Ziti with Acorn Squash and Roasted Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 15 large garlic clove
- 1 pound ziti pasta
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F. Cut the acorn squash in half, remove the seeds, and place the halves on a baking sheet, cut side down. Bake the squash for 1 hour or until the flesh is soft. Let the squash cool, then spoon out the flesh from the shells and chop it fine. About 1/2 hour after the squash has begun baking, roast the garlic: toss together the oil and the garlic, and place them in an oven-proof dish. Bake the garlic, uncovered, alongside the squash for 30 minutes or until the garlic is lightly golden. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the ziti until it is just tender. Drain it, reserving 3/4 cup of the drained pasta water. While the pasta cooks, spoon the roasted garlic with its oil into a large skillet. Add the wine and the reserved pasta water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Let it boil for about 2 minutes. Add the chopped squash flesh, and boil the sauce for 3 minutes more. Take the skillet off the heat. Add the ziti to the sauce, and stir well. Add the salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese and toss. Divide the pasta among plates, sprinkle the walnuts over, and serve with additional Parmesan.
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