Pappardelle with Butternut Sauce, Pine Nuts Rocket & Parman (V)

Having been a vegetarian years ago (for quite a few years, I may add) I am a huge fan of vegetarian food. The Bloke? Somewhat less so. On the nights when I want vegetarian - I have to make it good, so I can show him how good vegetarian food is! You don't always need meat.

Pappardelle pasta is similar to tagliatelle, but the strips are wider and just call out for an umptious sauce that clings to it. Butternut squash, flavoured with garlic and sage is a classic. Here I have pared it with peppery rocket with a rocket salad. Simple, but looks and tastes great.

This is a simple enough recipe with few ingredients that tastes out of this world. If you can get hold of some fresh sage, it really is lovely in this dish - but dried will do - just use half the amount stated.

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, peeled
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsps. fresh sage, chopped
1 tbsp. oil
200ml chicken stock (cube is fine)
100 ml double cream
salt & pepper, to taste
75g rocket
50g pine nuts
200g pappardelle pasta
parmesan shavings

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 clove garlic, crushed

Method:

Chop the butternut squash into cubes. Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry the sage and garlic in a large pan for a couple of minutes and then add the squash. Stir well and cook for a few minutes before adding the stock and covering the pan with a lid. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 mins.

The squash should be very soft at this stage so leave the lid off and let the last of the stock reduce. Then put the squash into a large jug with 100ml cream, salt and pepper. Blend with a stick blender until smooth and put back into the pan to simmer gently.

Make up the salad dressing by mixing the oil, vinegar, sugar and garlic. Set to one side.

Cook the pasta to cooking instructions and drain. Add half of the rocket to the sauce, along with the pine nuts. Stir through. Pour enough sauce over the pasta to coat well (there may be too much, so save the extra sauce for another time). Toss well.

Dress the other half of the rocket with a few teaspoons of the dressing and put a pile of rocket in the middle of the plate. Put the pasta around the salad. Sprinkle the parmesan shavings over the top and serve. Delicious!