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Squash, macaroni and Parma ham bake

Name: Squash, macaroni and Parma ham bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Serves 4-6
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and sliced into lengths; 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced; Grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½; 2 tbsp olive oil; 75g butter; 75g flour; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 750ml milk; 250g mascarpone; 800g macaroni; 125g Gruyère, grated; 16 Parma ham slices

Published: 31 Oct 11
Updated: 18 Mar 24

We’ve made the all-American macaroni cheese recipe healthier by replacing the calorie-laden white sauce with puréed squash.

Easy
November 2011

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4-6
Takes 15 minutes to make, 1 hour to cook

We’ve made the all-American macaroni cheese recipe healthier by replacing the calorie-laden white sauce with puréed squash.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 548kcals
Fat: 24.8g (13.9g saturated)
Protein: 19g
Carbohydrates: 61.8g (8.8g sugars)
Fibre: 4.9g
Salt: 1.2g

For 6 servings

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Ingredients

1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and sliced into lengths
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½
2 tbsp olive oil
75g butter
75g flour
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
750ml milk
250g mascarpone
800g macaroni
125g Gruyère, grated
16 Parma ham slices

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Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Put the squash in a shallow roasting tin with the garlic and lemon zest, then drizzle with the oil and season well. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes until soft. Reduce the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan and whisk in the flour, then the mustard. Mix the milk and mascarpone, then gradually whisk into the flour paste. Simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes, then season.
Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water for 7-8 minutes until al dente. Drain, return to the pan, then fold through the mascarpone sauce, lemon juice and most of the Gruyère. Fold in the contents of the roasting tin, the Parma ham slices and some seasoning. Spoon between 2 x 2 litre baking dishes and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère (leave some squash and ham showing for colour).

Wrap one dish in cling film (once cool) and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost fully, remove the cling film, then bake for 25-30 minutes until piping hot throughout.
Bake the other dish for 20-25 minutes until golden, then serve.