Sausage Stuffed Shells in Butternut Squash Sauce

Butternut Squash Sauce

1 onion, cut into 4 pieces

2 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 TBSP olive oil

1 Butternut Squash (I bought the 2 halves from the grocery store already cubed)

1 1/4 cup of chicken or vegetable stock

1 1/4 cup of milk (at least 1%)

Filling:

3 Sweet sausage links, casing removed

3 hot sausage links, casing removed

2 cloves garlic

1 package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Salt, pepper, olive oil, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning

16 oz of ricotta

1/4 cup Parmesan

1/4 cup shredded italian cheese mixture

Other ingredients:

1 pound large shells

Parsley for garnish

about 1 cup Italian shredded cheese blend for topping

Olive oil for extra drizzle at the end, if desired

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the butternut squash and onion with salt and pepper, toss in olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove, toss, add the 2 cloves of garlic to the pan. Roast for another 20 minutes and then let cool slightly.

2. Add stock and milk to blender and then add in roasted vegetables and all drippings from pan. Puree in a blender until smooth and then add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and pulse again to combine. Pour in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Set aside

3. Make your filling by browning the sausage in a large pan, breaking up into small pieces. Add the garlic, spinach and seasoning. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes to cook the spinach and combine everything together. 

4. Let sausage mixture cool for 10 minutes.

5. Boil your large shells for about 9 minutes, drain and spread out on a tray to cool. 

6. Once the meat mixture cool, add in ricotta, parmesan, italian cheese to meat mixture.  Mix to combine.

7. Taste meat mixture for seasoning. This should have the flavor and maybe a little spice because the butternut squash sauce is sweet - so these will play well together.

8. Using a tablespoon, stuff your shells and place them seam side up in the sauce. Nestle them in there but make sure the opening is not submerged in the sauce.

9. Lay all of your shells nicely in the pan and then top with a little sprinkle of italian shredded cheese. Cover with foil.

10. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes covered, then15 minutes uncovered. Finish by sprinkling with parsley ( if desired, more italian cheese). Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

11. Let rest for 5 minutes and then serve. 

Wine pairing:

Wattle Creek

Chardonnay

2015

Alexander Valley, CA

*Sweet and buttery Chardonnay - not my favorite to drink by itself but it went well with this dish.

Note: I had a few extra stuffed shells that wouldn't fit in my pan so I made a small container with a few TBSP of the butternut squash sauce and then the last 5 shells that wouldn't fit. This will be a great lunch for the next day.