Squash and Pasta

Roast Squash with
Moroccan Spices


! butternut squash, about 1kg
8 small shallots
1 tbsp. harissa
3 tbsp. garlic olive oil + extra for drizzling
450g can of butter beans, rinsed and drained
100g baby spinach leaves
1 rounded tsp clear honey


To serve: Couscous flecked with chopped coriander, lemon wedges
Heat oven to 180C. Cut squash into chunky wedges, deseed and peel. Scatter the squash onto a large shallow baking tray. Peel and halve the shallots lengthways. Scatter over the squash. Mix the harissa and oil together and pour over the vegetables. Gen-tle toss together with your fingers and season with fresh black pepper. Roast for about 2o mins until squash is tender and the shallots starting to brown. Shake tray half way through cooking. A few mins before the end of roasting, tip the butter beans over the squash, toss briefly in the juices, then return to the oven to warm through. Remove from the oven and scatter the spinach over. Gently toss together without breaking the squash until the spinach starts to wilt. Drizzle with the honey and olive oil, season with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Serve with the couscous and lemon wedges.


Pasta with Garlicky Greens


1 tbsp garlic olive oil
3 leeks finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250g baby spinach leaves
200ml double cream
400g orecchiette or other short pasta
75g blue cheese, crumbled


Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the leeks and garlic and soften for about 10 mins. Stir in spinach leaves and allow to wilt for a few mins. Add the cream, stir and remove from the heat. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water. Drain well and return to the sauce pan, stir in the leek sauce. Serve in bowls with crumbled blue cheese on top. Serve with good crusty fresh bread, and may be a glass or two of good Italian white wine.