Creamy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Cook Butternut Squash –

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. Melt butter in a large pot. Add sage leaves and fry for a few seconds until it crisps up. Immediately remove crisped sage leaves from the butter and keep aside until use.
3. Saute onions and minced garlic in butter until onions turn soft and garlic releases its fragrance. Do NOT brown onion or garlic. Cook until just translucent.
4. Add thyme sprig, salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste to the pot. Give it a mix.
5. Roast diced butternut squash along with onion-garlic and seasoning for a few minutes. This will help the squash caramelize slightly by roasting in butter.
6. Pour the vegetable stock and milk. Stir
7. Bring it to a boil.
8. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until squash is tender. About 10 minutes.

Cook Pasta –

1. While butternut squash is cooking in a large pot cook pasta in salted boiling water according to packet instructions until al-dente. Don’t overcook pasta.
2. Time it accordingly. Add pasta to boiling water and just when butternut squash sauce is ready.
3. NOTE – reserve 1 to 2 cups of pasta-cooked starchy water. You’ll need it.

Blend it –

1. Once squash is cooked tender it’s time to blitz.
2. Remember to remove sage stems from the pot before you blend.
3. Using immersion blender, blitz until squash turns smooth.

Stir It All Together -

1. Turn off the heat, add and grated cheese.
2. Stir until the cheese is melted.
3. Add cooked pasta shells into the butternut squash sauce.
4. Gently mix it until the pasta is coated in sauce.
5. Serve immediately warm topped with crispy sage leaves, sprinkle of ground pepper, and a little grated cheese.
6. Note: as the pasta cools, the sauce will thicken. If you have to thin it down, add a little pasta water at a time until the sauce is at the right consistency. Compared to normal water, pasta water will keep the sauce thick and creamy without diluting it much and losing the flavors (exactly what will happen when normal water is used)