Pecan and Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake with Sage Cream Sauce

Process:

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole dish.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in a few generous pinches of kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Add the roasted vegetables and toss to combine.
3. In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot, and sage to the pan. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Slowly add the wine, continuing to whisk for an additional 1 minute. Slowly add the milk and heavy cream, continuing to whisk the mixture. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, whisking often, until the sauce thicken, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture over the pasta and toss to combine.
4. To make the pecan gremolata: add pecan pieces, breadcrumbs, cheese, and sage to a bowl. Stir to combine. Slowly fold in the melted butter until evenly coated. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over top the pasta. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Serve with extra cheese, if desired.

*Recipe notes:

1. The original recipe uses zucchini, squash, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cauliflower and cremini mushrooms, but you may use any variety of seasonal vegetables, such as pumpkin for fall
2. You may substitute 1/2 cup of vegetable stock for the white wine