Squash and Kale Pasta Bake

I really enjoyed this pasta bake, the squash with all that cheese makes a lovely and rich sauce and I added in the kale and sun-dried tomatoes as I thought they would probably go! Delicious!

Squash and Kale Pasta Bake (adapted from Jen's Food)
(Serves 4-6)

Approx 700g butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp oil (for roasting)
300g dried pasta shapes
125g grated vintage or extra mature cheddar plus 25g for sprinkling on top
50g cream cheese
4-5 tbsp hot water
freshly grated nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper
handful kale, chopped
6 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

Preheat the oven to 200°C

Put the squash chunks in a roasting dish and toss with the oil, season with salt and pepper then roast for 40-45 mins until tender. When the squash is done let it sit for a couple of mins so it's not too hot then transfer to it a food processor or blender with the cream cheese, cheddar and 4-5 tbsp of the pasta cooking water. Blend until smooth then season with freshly grated nutmeg and ground pepper and pulse a couple of times. Stir the kale and sun-dried tomatoes into the sauce.

When you take the squash out of the oven, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.

Put the grill on to heat up. Return the pasta to the pan it was cooked in then add the cheesy squash mixture and mix together thoroughly. Next transfer the pasta and sauce to a large baking dish and sprinkle over the remaining 25g cheddar. Grill for 10 mins or until golden and crispy on top. Serve with steamed green veg or a green salad.