Pasta with Butternut Squash & Bacon

Ingredients

• 400 g penne pasta
• 600 g butternut squash, peeled, diced
• 6 rashers bacon, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 150 ml double cream
• 50 g parmesan, grated
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried sage
• ciabatta, to serve
• mixed green salad, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Toss the diced squash with the olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper, spread across a tray and roast for 20–25 minutes until tender and caramelised at the edges.
2. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the penne until al dente, about 10–11 minutes. Scoop out a mug of pasta water before draining.
3. While the pasta cooks, fry the chopped bacon in a dry pan over medium heat until crisp and the fat has rendered, around 6–7 minutes. Add the garlic and dried sage and cook for a minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in the double cream and tip in half the roasted squash. Lightly mash the remaining squash with a fork and stir it through the sauce so it thickens and turns silky.
5. Add the drained pasta with a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss until every piece of penne is coated. Taste and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
6. Serve in warm bowls with a generous scatter of grated parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.