From America's Small Farms cookbook. Serves 8 as a side dish. This takes about 1.5 hours, but most of it is inactive cooking time.

3-4 pounds acorn or butternut squash
1 pound ziti or penne
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, cleaned and coarsely chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine or water
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half; scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, in 1 inch of water in a 9X13-inch glass baking dish. Bake until tender, 35-50 minutes, depending on size of squash. Set aside until just cool enough to handle, then scoop the squash from the shells.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes less than the cooking time on the package; drain and set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the leeks, onions, garlic, sea salt and pepper. Saute until the onion is translucent and the leeks have become pliable, making sure the garlic doesn't burn (I usually add the garlic late in this process so that it doesn't burn). Add the squash and wine, stirring until a thick sauce forms. Fold in the cooked pasta; taste and adjust seasonings. Spoon into the same glass baking dish; sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese browns; sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot.