Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 3½ cups uncooked fusilli pasta (penne or farfalle will be fine too)
  • 1.43 pounds pumpkin (peeled, chopped, see *Notes)
  • 6 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
  • 3.53 ounces arugula/rocket (2 handfuls)
  • 3½ tablespoons olive oil
  • ⅓ teaspoon onion granules
  • Fine sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)
  • ⅓ cup water from cooking the pasta (adjust to taste)
  • Lightly toasted pine nuts and grated parmesan (for serving, optional)

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 425 F/ 220 C/ gas mark 7. Cut the pumpkin into thick wedges, place each on its side on a cutting board and slice the peel off downwards. Chop the pumpkin into similar size pieces and place in a large bowl. Season and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, then spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Roast in the upper part of the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Turn twice.
  • 10 minutes before your pumpkin is ready boil the pasta al dente with the bay leaf (optional) in salted water. Strain, reserving approximately ⅓ cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
  • When both the pumpkin and pasta are ready in a frying pan heat the remaining oil, add the garlic and fry over a medium heat for a few seconds until golden (don't let it brown too much as it will be bitter), stirring all the time. Lift the garlic out of the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl (do not rinse the pan). Set aside. *Optional: Fry the arugula quickly (for about 20 seconds) in the oil used to fry the garlic in to get a deeper, more intense garlic flavour throughout the dish. (Alternatively combine fresh arugula with the rest of the ingredients before serving).
  • Add about 2 spoonfuls of the pumpkin into the pan (use the same pan plus the garlic oil in it). Mash with a fork, add some of the water from cooking the pasta, onion granules and stir. Add the pasta, roasted pumpkin and arugula, stir and adjust the seasoning if needed, scatter over the garlic, pine nuts and parmesan (if using) and serve.