The first few cold and windy days of the new year have sent me in search of two things, carbs and comfort food. I long for something to fill the bottom of my belly till I can’t eat anymore. I want something hearty. While I typically cook for nourishment and to excite and inspire my senses, I want instead, to soothe and coddle. Suddenly, during the depths of winter, eating lures us into hibernation before snuggling up in a blanket, bolstering ourselves against the wind and the rain outside with the central heating ablaze.
Think of layers of lasagne sheets sandwiched between bechamel sauce and mince beef, deep casseroles and pie dishes, whole roasted stuffed butternut squash, delicious ratatouille where the vegetables are sliced thinly and a sauce that is not overly salty.
When winter settles in, the days grow shorter and I find myself eating dinner far earlier; something about the darkness and my body clock running out of sync, I suspect. Dinner becomes about one main dish rather than several light nibbles. Whereas, during the summer, I’m desperate to be out in the sun, laying about in the garden eating pots of cold yogurt and fresh melon, winter is relegated to curling up on the sofa, cupping a bowl of soup to keep my hands warm.
I hear the wind whistling and watch as the bushes outside bend in half beneath the gust of wind pummeling them. The timer buzzes, dinner is ready.
a recipe for roast squash pasta
Ingredients
1 pumpkin or autumn squash (about 1kg), peeled, deseeded and sliced
3-4 sprigs of thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salted butter
2 onions, thinly sliced
350g pasta shapes, such as conchiglie or rigatoni
100g blue cheese
75g walnuts, toasted and roughly crushed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Best-quality extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200° C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
Place the pumpkin on a large baking sheet with the thyme sprigs and toss in the olive oil until all the pieces are coated. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, or until tender and caramelised at the edges. Once cooked, keep warm.
While the pumpkin cooks, place a large heavy-based frying pan (skillet) over a medium–high heat and add the butter. Add the onions and season generously, tossing to coat completely in the melted butter. Reduce the heat and cook gently until the onions are sweet and caramelised, about 10–15 minutes.
Towards the end of the pumpkin cooking time, bring a large pan of water to the boil and generously season with salt. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve a cup of the starchy cooking water for use in the sauce.
Increase the heat back up under the pan with the onions, then add the reserved pasta water and bring to a steady simmer. Meanwhile, mash half the cooked pumpkin and add this to the onions. Crumble in almost all of the blue cheese (keep a little back to serve) and stir until you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Working quickly, add the pasta to the pan and stir through until completely coated.
Serve the pasta hot in warmed plates topped with the remaining pumpkin slices and blue cheese. Sprinkle with toasted, crushed walnuts and top with a generous drizzle of best-quality extra virgin olive oil and a final seasoning of sea salt and black pepper.