Carefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the macaroni and bake (I do it straight in the skillet) until the crumbs are golden and the edges bubbly, about 15 minutes. Cook the macaroni until al dente according to the package instructions. Drizzle half the squash with olive oil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side up. Cut a whole butternut squash in half lengthwise. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a pan and combine it with the breadcrumbs. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside. Keep stirring until the sauce is nice and hot, then stir in the macaroni. If the sauce is overly thick when the cheese is melted, add a splash of milk. Turn the heat to low and stir in the mashed butternut squash. Cook, whisking gently, until slightly thick, a couple of minutes.
Cook it for 2 minutes, then whisk in the milk. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk it to make a thin paste. In the same skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they're deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. While the squash is roasting, add the onions and 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large, ovenproof skillet over low to medium-low heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside. Scrape out the flesh into a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the onions and then the macaroni. Keep stirring until the sauce is nice and hot. If the sauce is too thick when the cheese is melted, add a splash of milk. When it is warmed through, stir in the cheese. Roast, watching to make sure the surface doesn't get burned (it should have some brown areas, however), until fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn the heat to low and stir in the mashed butternut squash. Drizzle half of the squash with olive oil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet cut-side up (reserve the other half of the squash in the fridge for another use). Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.Ĭarefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cook the macaroni until al dente according to the package instructions.