Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese

I saw Giada making this and she said she could eat the whole thing. I've made it twice now and both times were a hit. If use whole wheat pasta, check out the size of the box, as it's usually less than a pound (talk about charging more for less!). anyway, I basically kept the ratios the same, but this recipe could be easily doubled.

The other good things abou this recipe is that it can be served, warm, room temp or cold.

I've been lazy the past few times I've needed butternut squash and have just paid more to use the pre-cut container at Trader Joes. It doesn't take long to make their chuncks smaller.

When you first mix the goat cheese and water you may think it's too runny, but once it cools the cheese becomes creamy and sticks onto the pasta. the butternut just falls apart as well.

Ingredients
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 (2-pound) butternut or kombucha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne pasta
1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (see Cook's Note)
1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions
Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add the squash and onion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.

Cook's Note:
To toast the walnuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes Cool completely before using.