Ingredients
• 1/2 (about 850g) butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 1cm cubes
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 350g tortiglioni or other dried short pasta
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 300g (1 1/4 cup) ricotta
• 30g (1 cup) baby spinach, thinly shredded
• 1 1/2 lemons, juiced
• Halved, pitted kalamata olives (optional), to serve
Method
Step 1
Place pumpkin and 60ml (1/4 cup) oil in a large bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add pumpkin to the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until pumpkin is golden and caramelised. (Avoid moving the pumpkin around too much. Instead, leave it undisturbed for 1/2 minutes or until browned underneath before turning it over.)
Step 3
Meanwhile, add pasta to a large saucepan of boiling salted water and cook for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and return to the saucepan. Add the pumpkin mixture to the pan and toss to combine.
Step 4
While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil in the frying pan over high heat. Add onions and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook for 10 minutes or until onions are soft and browned. Add garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add onion mixture to pasta. Toss to combine.
Step 5
Crumble the ricotta in a small bowl and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the spinach and lemon juice, and stir gently to combine. Add the ricotta mixture to pasta and stir gently to combine. Scatter with olives, if using, and serve.
