Rigatoni in roasted butternut squash sauce with crispy prosciutto, garlic, pine nuts and sage

Preheat the oven to 400.

Put the peeled butternut squash in a roasting pan or baking dish; add the quartered shallots, fresh thyme leaves, Aleppo pepper, a good pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

Roast until the squash is tender, about 40 minutes.

Put very thinly sliced garlic in a cold skillet with olive oil and crisp it, adding the pine nuts; lift out with a slotted spoon, keeping the oil.

Fry the sage leaves in the same oil for a few seconds until crisp, standing back from the splatter.

With the oven still hot, lay the prosciutto in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until really crispy.

In a skillet, saute fresh garlic, chopped parsley and a pinch of hot pepper flakes in fresh olive oil until softened.

Puree the roasted squash in a blender with about half a cup of the boiling pasta water.

Optionally add a little white wine to the garlic base for acidity, then add the thick squash puree.

Thin with stock (water with a touch of chicken bouillon powder) until pourable; simmer for a bit.

Add a touch of heavy cream and let it bubble over medium-low heat while the rigatoni cooks.

Move the pasta straight from the pot to the sauce a couple of minutes shy of al dente; cook together a couple of minutes so the sauce thickens and adheres.

Add black pepper and stir; shower with parmigiano and shredded pepper jack.

Keep on low with the lid on for five minutes until the cheese melts.

Serve from the pan topped with the crispy prosciutto, garlic, pine nuts and sage.