Ingredients: Serves 4

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
• 20 whole, fresh sage leaves
• 2lb pumpkin (or butternut squash), cut into small chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
• ½ tsp chilli flakes – or how spicy you want it (if for children, maybe omit this)
• 400ml vegetable stock
• Salt & pepper
• Juice of ½ lemon, zest of ½ lemon
• 12 ounces linguine / fettuccine (or any pasta you like – gnocchi works well!)
• Parmesan or Pecorino

Method:

1. Add your diced pumpkin to a pan with two whole garlic cloves and the vegetable broth, and leave to boil until the pumpkin is cooked through and liquid has reduced by half – 15 – 20 minutes.
2. While this cooks, fry some sage leaves in butter then set aside to crispen up.
3. Once the pumpkin is cooked, remove from the broth and place into a blender with the two cloves of garlic, juice and zest of half a lemon, 200ml of stock (what’s left), the chilli flakes, good pinch of salt and crack of pepper, and blend until smooth.
4. Add to a pan and warm through gently, getting it to the consistency you like (we will add pasta water to thin it out, so a thicker sauce is best).
5. At this stage you want to check the seasonings – does it need more lemon? Salt and pepper? Spice? You could also add a dash of cream.
6. Take your parmesan or pecorino cheese and grate in a good handful.
7. The sauce can now be stored until it’s ready to be used or to use immediately, get your pasta of choice boiling in a salted pan of water.
8. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and reserve some of the pasta water.
9. Add the pasta to your sauce, stirring through pasta water until you reach the desired consistency.
10. Serve in bowls and top with crispy sage, and a dusting of parmesan.
11. OPTION: Crisp up some prosciutto or pancetta in a pan and serve on top of the pasta.