Butternut Squash Baked Pasta

The assignment: A satisfying, creamy, crave-worthy baked pasta that would still be delicious without (most of) the cheese. Nailed it.

½ cup hazelnuts or walnuts
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 small butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, cut into ½” cubes (~ 6 cups)
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 lb paccheri or rigatoni
sea salt
2 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided (~ 1½ cups)
1 cup basil leaves, torn
black pepper, freshly ground

To Serve:
Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet or quarter sheet pan, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop and transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in 2 Tbsp. oil; set aside.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium pot over medium-high. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant and garlic is softened, about 1 minute. Add squash and toss to combine. Add stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until squash is tender, 12-15 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions. Drain, then rinse with cold water.

Transfer squash mixture to a blender. Add 1 cup Parmesan and purée until smooth; season with salt.

Pour ½ cup squash purée into a 9x13" baking dish and spread to edges. Scatter pasta over sauce, then pour remaining sauce over. Top with ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes.

Uncover and increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7). Continue to bake until top is darkened in spots and sauce is bubbling, 10-15 minutes.

Add basil to bowl with reserved hazelnuts, season with salt and toss to combine. Spoon hazelnut mixture over pasta. Top with more Parmesan and black pepper.