Our occasional recipes last year were hugely popular, so it’s our new year’s resolution to give you one a month.
To start the year we present orecchiette, roasted pumpkin, cavolo nero, and (optional) crispy pancetta.
It’s the ideal winter warmer, and a great way to sneak vegetables into the diets of those picky home-schoolers.
Ingredients
- 250g orecchiette (click here to buy now)
- 300g pumpkin (winter squash/ butternut squash), peeled, deseeded and cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 rashers smoked pancetta (click here to buy now)
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- 4 leaves cavelo nero, shredded
- Salt & pepper
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200c (fan).
2. Arrange the cubed squash on a baking tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then lightly season with salt and pepper. Pop into oven and roast until golden and cooked through for approximately 20- 30 minutes, checking and turning half way through. Once cooked, set aside for later.
3. Fry the pancetta in a dry, hot frying pan until crispy. Remove and allow to cool. Once cool, roughly chop into shards.
4. In the same frying pan, add a dash of olive oil and the butter. Then, on a medium heat, fry off the garlic and chilli flakes for 1 minute, followed by the cavolo nero. Stir fry for a few minutes, then add the roasted pumpkin.
5. Meanwhile boil the pasta as per pack instructions.
6. Once the pasta is cooked, reserve the cooking water and transfer the pasta to the frying pan. Stir well and mix all ingredients together. If it’s looking too dry add a small amount of pasta water and allow to cook for another minute. Check seasoning and serve, topped with the crispy pancetta and some more chilli flakes.