Cut the butternut squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and cut off the outer skin. Dice up into cubes. Chop onion. mince garlic.
In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the onion and bay leaves until translucent, add garlic and cook on medium low until golden, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add in butternut squash. Pour the stock into the pot. Bring to a boil and cook until tender.
Drain squash, reserving 1/2 cup broth. Remove the bay leaves and transfer squash mixture to the blender. Add the milk, nutmeg, and reserved broth and puree until completely smooth and creamy. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Cook pasta in salted water, drain, transfer to a large bowl and set aside. I used a pound of Conchiglie pasta but macaroni works great too!
To make toasted breadcrumbs: Take 3-4 slices of bread and remove crusts, chop bread into small pieces or crumble with your fingers. Melt about 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and season with salt, pepper and even a little thyme if you'd like. Move around pan and cook until GOLDEN brown then transfer to a bowl and set aside. For a some extra flavor I like to add two tablespoons of parmesan while the breadcrumbs are cooking.
Pour the pureed sauce over the cooked pasta and add the cheese. Stir to melt the cheese; if needed add milk to adjust consistency. Transfer to a baking dish.
You can top your mac and cheese with toasted breadcrumbs then bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Once done, garnish with parsley, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Switch things up and add any of your favorite cheeses to this dish. The toasted bread crumbs are little flavor bombs so do your best to avoid skipping them!