Serves 2
Ingredients
¼ Kent pumpkin, peeled and diced
1 brown onion, cut in half
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt + pepper
8 chestnuts
200ml vegetable stock
250g dried rigatoni
50g salted butter
Handful sage leaves
1 clove garlic
Small wedge parmesan cheese
Method
Preheat an oven to 220C
Place the pumpkin and onion onto a lined baking tray and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Make sure the onions are cut side down after tossing with the oil.
Roast for 25 minutes until the pumpkin is lightly coloured and the onions are soft.
Puree in a food processor with the vegetable stock and season to taste.
Set aside.
Meanwhile, make a small criss-cross cut in the flat side of the chestnuts.
Roast on a separate tray for 25-30 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly then carefully peel and roughly break up the chestnuts into large pieces.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season with salt.
Cook the rigatoni according to packet instruction and reserve ½ cup cooking water.
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a small frying pan.
Add the chestnuts, sage and garlic and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly.
The sage should be crispy, the chestnuts and butter caramelised.
Set this aside.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain (reserve ½ cup cooking water) and toss with half the pumpkin puree (keep the other half for another time or make a soup) You can thin it out with a little pasta water if desired.
Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Ladle into bowls and spoon over the butter, sage and chestnuts and serve with grated parmesan cheese.