Tip Top Butternut Mac

TIP TOP BUTTERNUT MAC by Cheesemonger Carolyn 

adapted from “Butternut Squash Mac & ‘Cheese’” from the Natural Nurturer

Cheese People, we gotta talk about Top Hat. Have you tried it yet? This limited-batch, fudgy six-year Alpine style cheddar is truly one of the best things I’ve ever tasted and from your faces after sampling at the markets I think you all agree. And yet! When I cut you a wedge and you see just how crumbly and craggy this delicious flavor-bomb is you ask “what can I do with this?” The obvious answer is, of course, to simply forgo the cheese knife, break off little pieces and snack away, but now I have another solution. I’ve been making this delicious, nearly-vegan butternut squash mac and cheese for my nearest & dearest since last fall when the first beautiful gourds appeared at our outdoor markets and I think I’ve finally perfected it. The richness of Top Hat and the sweet nutty squash meld into a sauce so deliciously rich and luxe, with sautéed shallots and garlic for depth and paprika and red pepper flakes for a bit of a kick. The whole thing gets whizzed up in a blender — allowing you to coarsely grate your hunk of Top Hat until it starts to crumble and then just throw the crumbles in there, too — and poured over al dente cavatappi for a gourmet twist on a childhood favorite. Bon appetit!

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash
• 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, if desired
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for the pasta 
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup dairy or non-dairy milk of your choice
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp paprika
• 4 oz (half a standard hunk) Top Hat Cheddar, plus a little extra to garnish, coarsely grated and/or crumbled
• 12 oz short pasta — I love cavatappi for a fancy mac but you could use farfalle, fusilli, shells, whatever your heart desires! 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Special equipment: blender or immersion blender

PROCEDURE

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium sauté or frying pan over medium heat until it shimmers. Add chopped shallot, garlic, and desired amount of red pepper flakes, if using, and sauté till aromatics are fragrant and slightly translucent, around 2-3 minutes. Add butternut squash cubes and cook, stirring once or twice, an additional 5-6 minutes until just beginning to brown and soften.
   
   
   
   
2. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring to pick up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Lower heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook an additional 5-7 minutes, until water is mostly absorbed and squash is fork-tender. 
   
   
   
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta: bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season with salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente (for cavatappi this is generally around 6 minutes). Once cooked, drain and return to the pot. 
4. Once squash is cooked, add the entire contents of your pan — squash, shallot, garlic, pan juices and any cooking water that hasn't been absorbed yet — to the blender. Add your milk of choice, lemon juice, paprika, and Top Hat and blend until smooth. (If you have an immersion blender, you can do this right in the pan — I’d recommend starting with higher-walled sauté pan for ease.) Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper — I like a lot!
   
   
   
5. Pour butternut squash sauce over pasta and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately, topping with additional crumbles of Top Hat and/or freshly ground black pepper if desired. 
   
   
   

NOTES

• I’ve found this serves about three adults as a main/only course — but you could certainly stretch it to four by serving alongside a protein and/or adding a nice big salad! May I recommend the Kale-avitano or the Emergency Fennel? 
• For the squash — if you don’t have a kitchen scale handy, I’ve found the neck of a smallish butternut, peeled and cubed, comes out to about eight ounces. It’ll be like a heaping cup and a half. Extra squash is great cubed, salted, and roasted as a hearty salad topping, or roasted whole in its skin, scooped out and pureed for a unique oatmeal topping (I am so serious about this — top with maple syrup, cinnamon, and flaky salt) 
• Red pepper flakes — I like a lot of heat on this so I used closer to a full tsp! Start with just the 1/4 tsp or skip altogether if you’re feeling shy, while it’s nice to toast them in the olive oil you can always add more later once you’re blending and tasting the sauce if you’re not getting quite the depth of flavor you’d like. 
• Milk — I tested with oat milk since that’s what I generally keep in my fridge. The original recipe called for unsweetened almond milk, but I imagine you could also use whatever dairy milk you have on hand as well! I am a big fan of using what is already in your fridge! 
• This as written makes a nice thick hearty cheesy sauce — if you think you might like to thin it out a bit you can add extra milk or reserve some pasta water and use that instead.