Twice Baked Butternut Squash filled with Bacon Ricotta

Ricotta has long been confined to traditional roles in the kitchen: baked into layers of pasta or cheesecakes. But these days ricotta is being used in sweet and savory applications, in unlikely places: dolloped onto grilled bread and pizzas or whisked into sweet pancake batter. Bellwether Farms Basket Ricotta is rich and versatile. When I have this beautiful product in my fridge, the problem is deciding what to do with it.

3 small Butternut squashes, cut in half and seeds removed
1/2 lb bacon
12 oz Bellwether Basket Ricotta
1 egg

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 375. Cook bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes or until desired crispness. Prepare squash while bacon is cooking. Remove bacon from oven, drain on a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside. Use the bacon grease to rub the insides of the squash (gives the squash a nice smokey, bacon-y bite). Bake squash for 30 minutes, cut side up. Meanwhile, prepare bacon ricotta filling. Chop cooked bacon and combine with ricotta, egg, garlic, herbs and salt and pepper. Fill squash halves and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until squash is tender. Turn oven to broil the last 5 minutes to get the ricotta filling golden brown. Serve with a simple Arugula salad.

*Serves 6