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Creamy Butternut Squash Mafaldine

Creamy Butternut Squash Mafaldine

This may look like a creamy, cheesy, delicious sauce, and that’s because…it is! BUT, there’s only a little bit of cheese in this dish, compared to a whole lot of butternut squash that’s been seasoned with lemony dried thyme and roasted until it’s soft, tender, and lightly caramelized. The squash gets tossed in a blender with half and half and parmesan cheese, and the result is a super decadent, creamy, luscious sauce that looks JUST like mac and cheese sauce! The squash has a gentle, slightly sweet flavor that blends perfectly with the thyme and parmesan. All this sauce needs is a great pasta, and mafaldine is ideal. Imagine if lasagna and fettuccine were combined, and you have mafaldine! Perfect for twisting up a big forkful, and the little waves grab onto the sauce for maximum flavor. As if this couldn’t get better, I take the butternut squash seeds, roast them until crisp, and then saute them in butter, along with panko bread crumbs, parmesan, and red pepper flakes. This topping adds tons of crunch, flavor, and spice, and truly takes this dish to a whole other level. People will be fighting for seconds (if there’s anything left in the pot!)