Candied Kabocha and Blue Cheese Pasta Recipe

2 cups peeled kabocha squash cut into 1cm cubes
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
4 cups dry pasta of your choice, I used shells
green onions, finely sliced for garnish
chili oil, for garnish

To Candy the Squash (*):
Steam the squash until just cooked through and put on a tea towel to dry and cool slightly. Once cooled for about 10 minutes, heat a large skillet to medium heat and add oil and then honey. Stir the honey with a wooden spoon to distribute and then add the squash tossing a few times. Allow the squash to crisp up on one side and then toss again. Remove from the heat and reserve.

To Make the Sauce:
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium low heat. Sweat the onions in the butter until nice and soft. Add the flour and stir to combine with a wooden spoon or whisk. Cook, over medium low heat, stirring regularly for 3 minutes. Whisk in milk 1/2 cup at a time. Add bay leaf and bring to a simmer, stirring regularly cook for 10 minutes. Stir in blue cheese in a few batches. Taste, and add a big grind of fresh pepper and add salt if necessary.

Bringing it all Together:
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Fold the sauce into the pasta and then fold in the squash. Pour into a baking dish and bake at 375F until just browning on the top – about 15 minutes. Serve hot, topped with green onions, drizzled with chili oil and serve extra on the side.

(*) If you aren’t feeling the fuss, just roast or steam the squash and toss it in. The texture and extra sweetness may be lost but it will still be delicious.