Butternut Squash Conchiglie with Crisp Sage

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Serves 2 | Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 40 mins

In making this autumn treat I set myself a challenge. Keep things as simple as possible. The results were fantastic. Roasting the squash gives it a lot of depth. I can find it overly sweet, but here the chilli and lemon balances it out very well. It’s an easy recipe that packs in a lot of flavour and can be done in no time. It’s very easy to keep it vegan by leaving the parmesan out. Penne works great too with this recipe.

• Equipment

  • Knife

  • Large sheet tray

  • Olive oil

  • Salt & pepper

  • Pan

  • Pot

  • High-powered blender, immersion blender or food processor

  • Grater

• Ingredients

  • 1 small butternut squash

  • 5 garlic cloves

  • Fresh sage

  • 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tsp. soy sauce

  • 210g conchiglie

  • Chilli flakes

  • 1 lemon

  • Parmesan cheese

• Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Peel butternut squash and chop into small cubes, discarding the seeds and pulp. Arrange pieces on a large roasting tray along with the unpeeled cloves of garlic and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper before placing in oven. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the oven up for an additional 10 minutes to get some colour and caramelisation. Keep your eye on it as the squash can burn at this stage. Remove tray and allow to cool a bit.

  2. Heat some oil in a pan to crisp up the sage leaves. Drop them in and allow them to sizzle. You want them to turn emerald green, not brown. Be careful as the leaves can turn light in the oil and only appear dark when taken out. Crisp up about five for each serving.

  3. Add the butternut squash (save some off to the side for garnish) to blender. Peel the garlic and add, along with soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and a splash of water. This allows for a smooth consistency. Add more water if it is too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning.

  4. Cook the pasta. Retain some of the cooking liquid and strain. Return to pot with and add the sauce on a medium heat, stirring well. Add a pinch of dried chilli flakes. You can add pasta water to help the sauce come together. Heat through before serving.

  5. Garnish the dish with the crisp sage, some parmesan, chilli flakes and salt and pepper. I love to grate some fresh lemon zest over the top and squeeze a bit of juice over it too.

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