Butternut squash, sausage, spinach & mushroom pasta bake

Nutrition and extra info

  • Freezable

    • Nutrition: Per serving (6)

  • kcal799
  • fat39g
  • saturates15g
  • carbs80g
  • sugars13g
  • fibre9g
  • protein26g
  • salt1.3g
  • Ingredients
  • Method

    • Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the dish

    Olive oil

    ol-iv oyl

    Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It’s…

  • 1 butternut squash (about 900g), peeled, deseeded and cut into 2-3cm cubes
  • pinch of chilli flakes
  • 6 sausages (about 400g)
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • small bunch of sage (about 10 leaves)

    Sage

    sa-age

    Popular in both Italian and British cookery, sage has long, grey-green leaves with a slightly…

  • 50g plain flour
  • 600ml whole milk, plus extra for topping up, if needed

    Milk

    mill-k

    One of the most widely used ingredients, milk is often referred to as a ‘complete’ food…

  • ½ nutmeg, grated

    Nutmeg

    nut-meg

    One of the most useful of spices for both sweet and savoury…

  • 40g grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

    Parmesan

    parm-ee-zan

    Parmesan is a straw-coloured hard cheese with a natural yellow rind and rich, fruity flavour. It…

  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 400g fusilli
  • 70g mushrooms, sliced

    Mushroom

    mush-room

    The mushroom is a fungus which comes in a wide range of varieties that belong to two distinct…

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 100g kale, chard or spinach, chopped

    Kale

    kay-el

    A member of the cabbage family, kale comes in two forms: kale, which has smooth leaves, and…

  • 50g pumpkin seeds

    • Method

    1. Heat the oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 6. Whisk together the vinegar and half the olive oil. Put the squash in a roasting tin and toss with the dressing, the chilli and seasoning. Squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skins, roll into small meatballs (you should have about 35). Arrange around the squash and roast for 35-40 mins, turning halfway, until the squash is tender and the meatballs are caramelised.

    2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, until bubbling. Add the sage and allow to sizzle for a few minutes, or until crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper. By this point, the butter should have browned. Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds, then gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously until you have a smooth sauce, about 7-10 mins. Add the nutmeg and some seasoning, stir in the parmesan until melted, then stir in the mustard.

    3. Oil a medium-sized baking dish. Cook the pasta following pack instructions until al dente, then drain and run under cold running water. Heat the remaining oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the mushrooms with a pinch of salt for a few minutes, until softened and caramelised. Add the garlic, then the greens, stirring until the greens wilt, then add to the white sauce along with the squash, pasta and half the fried sage, adding up to 50ml milk or water if it’s too thick.

    4. Pour into the baking dish, then add the meatballs. Scatter over the remaining sage, the reserved squash seeds, and grate over the extra parmesan. Roast for 25-30 mins, until golden and bubbling. Allow to settle for 10 mins before serving.

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