step 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
step 2
Peel, deseed, and dice the Butternut Squash (1).
step 3
Place the cubed squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. Olive Oil (2 Tbsp) and toss with ½ tsp. Kosher Salt (to taste) ¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper (1/4 tsp), and ¼ tsp. Ground Nutmeg (1/4 tsp). Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the squash is golden brown, tossing halfway through.
step 4
Prepare Large Rigatoni (1 lb) according to package instructions, but undercook it by a couple of minutes so it is a bit shy of “al dente” (the noodles will soften more when they cook in the oven). Drain and set aside.
step 5
Chop the Bacon (12 oz) into ½ inch pieces.
step 6
Dice the Onion (1) and chop the Fresh Thyme (2 Tbsp).
step 7
In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the chopped bacon until crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and reserve the rendered bacon grease.
step 8
Grate the Smoked Gruyere Cheese (2 cups), Aged White Cheddar (2 cups), and Gouda (1 1/4 cups).
step 9
Sauté the onion in 2 tbsp. bacon grease and a pinch of salt until soft, about 5 minutes. Melt in 2 tbsp of Unsalted Butter (2 Tbsp)
step 10
When the butter is melted, whisk in the All-Purpose Flour (4 Tbsp) stirring constantly for 2 minutes, until the flour is toasted. Stir in the thyme.
step 11
In a steady stream, whisk in the Whole Milk (3 cups) until the sauce thickens.
step 12
Add the roasted squash to the sauce, mashing with a potato masher, wooden spoon, or a fork until almost completely smooth.
step 13
Stir in the Dijon Mustard (1 Tbsp) and remaining Cayenne Pepper (1/4 tsp) and Ground Nutmeg (1/4 tsp)
step 14
Stir in the grated cheeses (reserve about ¾ cup of the cheeses for the topping) until melted and smooth. Whisk in additional milk as needed to loosen the sauce.
step 15
Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
step 16
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, half the crisped bacon, and the sauce. Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish.
step 17
Melt the remaining Unsalted Butter (4 Tbsp) and stir in the Panko Breadcrumbs (3/4 cup).
step 18
Sprinkle the remaining bacon over the dish, followed by the cheeses and then the breadcrumbs.
step 19
Transfer to the oven to bake for 20 minutes, until golden-brown and bubbling.
