Butternut Squash Noodle Gratin

Ingredients

• 300 g butternut squash flesh
• 300 ml vegetable stock
• Salt
• Pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp Crème fraîche
• 1 bulb fennel
• 0.5 Zucchini
• 250 g whole wheat penne
• 0.5 bunch Parsley
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp coarsely grated Pecorino

Instructions

1. 1.

   Dice the squash flesh and place it in a pot. Cover with enough vegetable stock to just barely cover the fruit. Cook covered over medium heat for about 15 minutes until tender. Strain the squash into a sieve, reserve the liquid, and set aside. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the crème fraîche. Puree with an immersion blender, then set aside.

2. 2.

   Clean, wash, and cut the fennel into small pieces. Blanch in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Shock in ice water and drain well. Wash the zucchini, cut into small pieces, blanch in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, shock, and drain well.

3. 3.

   Cook the penne in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well. Wash the parsley, shake dry, and roughly chop.

4. 4.

   Melt the butter in a pot and let it cool slightly. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with a pinch of salt and the liquid butter until creamy. Mix in the penne, fennel, and zucchini. Fold in half of the squash puree. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold in 2 tbsp Pecorino.

5. 5.

   Grease four small baking dishes if needed. Fill with the gratin mixture, top each with a dollop of remaining squash puree, and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

6. 6.

   Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (180 °C fan‑forced; gas mark 3) for 30 minutes until golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes, then remove from dishes and serve warm.