Life-changing pumpkin pasta

Step 1

Add the sun-dried tomatoes and a few tablespoons of the oil they come in to a frying pan with the onion and garlic. Cook over low-medium heat until the onion has completely softened, and everything is very fragrant and soft. Add the sliced sage leaves and cook for another minute before adding the pumpkin, tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir to combine and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes. Add the creme fraiche and stir through. Using a handheld blender give everything a blitz in the pot to make a smooth sauce.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions, until al dente. Strain quickly and add to the pumpkin sauce – any residual cooking water on the pasta is fine and encouraged as it simply becomes part of the sauce. Gently turn to coat in the pumpkin mixture.

Step 3

Add the butter to a small frying pan over medium heat. When melted and beginning to bubble, add the sage leaves and cook until crisp.

Step 4

Serve the pasta in bowls. Top with the fried sage leaves and pour over any of the residual butter – it will be dark and nutty; this is what we want. Grate some parmesan over the pasta, then season generously with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.