Butternut Squash and Chickpea Fusilli

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash (peeled and cut into 1/2” cubes)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 lb bacon (cut into bite size pieces)

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1-15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3oz baby kale

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1lb fusilli

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Place the squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until tender.

While the squash is roasting, add you bacon to a large cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium and let the fat from the bacon slowly render, about 7-10 minutes. Once the bacon is crispy, remove from the pan and set them aside on a paper towel lined plate.

Add the drained chickpeas to the rendered bacon fat, season with salt and pepper. Let the chickpeas cook in the fat until they are crispy, about 10 minutes. You may need to add a touch of olive oil if your bacon didn’t render enough fat.

While the chickpeas are crisping, cook your pasta according to the package directions. Before you drain the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water for later. Drain the pasta 2 minutes early and add directly to the crispy chickpeas. Add in your roasted squash, bacon, and kale. Mix to combine. Add half of your pasta water and the parmesan cheese. Mix everything together. Serve immediately.