Sometimes when you make a dish it just works. This is an attempt to capture the flavours of a butternut squash ravioli I had during my childhold near the Trevi Fountain in Rome. This is flavourful, packed with squash and has that moreish factor.
Serves: 2-3 as a main or 4 as a starter
Time: 1 hour
1 large butternut squash
Half an onion
250g of pasta
100 ml of single cream
40g of hazelnuts or pecans
1 tablespoon of dried sage
Salt and pepper
1. Peel and dice the butternut squash and onion into small chunks. Place half the squash onto one baking tray and the other half onto another.
2. Drizzle with oil adding the sage to one of the trays and the onion to the other. Place both an oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
3. Meanwhile toast the nuts in a hot pan for 1-2 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes remove the squash and onion from the oven. Leave the other squash in for a further 15 minutes.
4. Boil the pasta as per pack instruction. Save some of pasta water.
5. Prepare the sauce by blending the squash and onion with the cream until smooth. Heat in a pan.
6. Once the pasta is cooked add a small volume of the pasta water to loosen the sauce. Salt the sauce to taste. Drain the pasta.
7. After the squash with the sage has been in the oven for a total of 45 minutes remove from the oven.
8. Mix together the pasta, sauce and half the roasted squash with sage.
9. Plate up topping with the nuts and remaining roasted squash.
Recipes from my kitchen, Edinburgh, Scotland 