Roast Pumpkin, Blue Cheese & Caramelised Onion Pasta

Method

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C.
2. 2. Place the pumpkin on a large baking sheet with the thyme sprigs and toss in olive oil until all the pieces are coated. Season generously with sea salt and ground black pepper. Place in the oven to roast for 40 minutes or until tender and caramelised on the edges. Once cooked, keep warm.
3. 3. Towards the end of the cooking time for the pumpkins, bring a large pot of water to the boil and generously season with salt. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve a cup of the starchy cooking water for use in the sauce.
4. 4. While the pasta cooks, place a large heavy based frying pan over a medium high heat and add the butter. Add the onions and season generously, tossing to coat completely in the melted butter. Reduce the heat and cook gently until the onions are sweet and caramelised- approx 10-15 mins.
5. 5. Bring the heat back up in the pan with the onions, add the reserved pasta water and bring to a steady simmer. Meanwhile mash half the cooked pumpkin and add this to the pan with the onions. Crumble in almost all the blue cheese (leaving a little back for garnish) and continue to stir until you have a smooth creamy sauce. Working quickly, add the pasta to the pan and stir through until completely coated.
6. 6. Serve the pasta hot to warmed plates with the remaining pumpkin slices and blue cheese and sprinkle with toasted crushed walnuts. Add a generous drizzle of the best quality extra virgin olive oil you have to hand and add a last seasoning of sea salt and black pepper.

• Autumn
• Winter
• Christmas
• squash
• pasta
• main meal
• Autumn
• family meal
• quick dinner
• winter

Ingredients

• US
• METRIC