Throw everything raw (including the pasta) into the bowl and cook! Recipe from “Smitten Kitchen”
“This is not a usual pasta bake. We do not boil the noodles. We do not make or buy a sauce. We do not roast the winter squash or even sauté the greens. We throw every single ingredient raw into a big bowl for mixing and pour that into a parchment-slung springform (or equivalently-sized pan) pan and bake it for 90 minutes. That’s the rub; it takes a long time to cook. But this time is entirely hands-off, save removing the foil midway. You won’t be scrubbing pots, as the sum of your dishes to wash will be a cutting board, knife, whisk, grater, and a bowl.
What emerges from the oven is savory Fall decadence. The proportions are upended — depending on your perspective, this has either half the pasta or twice the vegetables of most pasta bakes of this size. The squash softened, the spinach perfectly cooked, the noodles tender in the center and burnished to a snatch-able crisp on top, and the fragrance of garlic and toasted cheese is everywhere I want to be.”
Serves 8. Takes 2 hours to bake and rest
1 large egg
1 cup (250 grams) ricotta
1 cup (100 grams) finely grated parmesan, divided
1 cup (85 grams) coarsely grated fontina cheese
1 1/4 cups (300 grams) water
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, divided
1 tbsp (8.4 grams) kosher salt (I use Diamond; use less of other brands)
Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5 oz (140 grams) baby spinach, roughly chopped
2 tbsp thinly-sliced sage leaves or 1 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves (optional)
1 1/4lb (560-grams) butternut or another sturdy winter squash, peeled, seeded, sliced thin or 1 pound (455 grams) in prepared chunks, sliced thin
8 oz (225 grams) dried pasta (see Note), broken into pieces if large/long
Heat oven to 350°F (176°C).
Line a 9-inch springform with 3-inch sides with a sling of parchment paper, pressing it across the bottom and creasing the sides to get it to fit as best as possible. If the sides aren’t well covered, repeat with a second piece of parchment in the other direction.
Whisk egg and ricotta in a large bowl. Stir in half of the parmesan, fontina, water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, a few gratings of fresh nutmeg, lots of freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Stir in squash, spinach, and sage or thyme, if using. Add dried noodles and stir until everything is coated.
Pour into prepared pan and press gently so everything is in as even of a layer as possible. Sprinkle with second half of parmesan. Gently fold any parchment that extends over the rim of the pan into the center and cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake on a sheet (for extra security against drips) for 1 hour, then remove foil, reopen the parchment folded over the top, and drizzle the dish with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Return to the oven uncovered for 30 minutes. Pasta will be baked through and the top will be crisp. If it doesn’t have as much color as you’d like on top, you can finish it under the broiler for a minute or two.
Cool in pan on a rack for 30 minutes before removing the springform ring, sliding the pasta bake by its parchment onto a serving plate, and cut it into wedges.
Do ahead: This keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week. Rewarm uncovered in a 350-degree oven. I haven’t frozen it, but would expect it to freeze well, tightly wrapped.