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Pumpkin and Chorizo Pasta with Rocket, Fennel Salad

We’re making the most of pumpkin while it’s still in season with this creamy pumpkin and chorizo pasta. The sweetness from the pumpkin pairs perfectly with the smokey, spiced chorizo.

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Breakdown

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, fan bake.
Roast the pumpkin.
Make the pasta sauce.
Prepare the salad and dressing.
Cook the pasta.
Add the pumpkin, parmesan and pasta water to the sauce.
Dress the salad.
Serve up and enjoy!

Tips

Reserve your pasta water! Pasta water is filled with starch and salt which creates cloudy, murky water but is the key to a creamy sauce. Together the starch and the salt add flavour and depth to the pasta sauce as well as acting as a thickening agent.

We like to look for chorizo that is just meat, spices and the casing as lots of brands are filled with additives and preservatives. This one is our personal favourite!
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This recipe serves four, if you’re cooking for two simply halve the recipe.

INGREDIENTS Ingredients

¼ large pumpkin (6 cups cut into bite-sized cubes)
1 brown onion (finely diced)
1 tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
150g chorizo, 2 sticks (casing removed and crumbled into small pieces)
1 lemon (juice and zest)
350g small shaped pasta (we used casarecce)
½ cup parmesan + extra to serve
1 cup reserved pasta water
25g butter
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Rocket, Fennel Salad

75g rocket (½ bag)
1 small fennel bulb (finely shaved)
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees fan bake.
Once the oven has come to temperature add the pumpkin to a baking tray, drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss well. Pop in the oven to cook for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
While the pumpkin is cooking, get started on the pasta sauce. Add 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil to a large pan or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and oregano and cook for a few minutes until the onions start to soften.
Add the chorizo and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until the chorizo starts to caramelise and get crispy in places.
Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and zest, set aside while the pumpkin cooks.
Meanwhile prepare the salad, add the rocket and fennel to a large salad bowl or platter and scatter over the pine nuts. To make the dressing simply add all ingredients into a glass jar and shake well to combine. Set the dressing aside to dress the salad just before serving.
When the pumpkin has about 10 minutes of cooking time remaining, cook the pasta as per packet instructions. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

Once the pasta has cooked place the pan with the onion and chorizo mixture over a low heat. Add the pumpkin, pasta, parmesan and butter.
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Slowly add the pasta water and stir well until a thick creamy sauce forms.
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Dress the salad and serve the pasta in four bowls with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

VARIATIONS

Vegetables

Swap out the rocket for baby spinach.

Protein

For a vegetarian option leave out the chorizo and stir through 2 tsp of miso paste when you add the pasta water.

Other

Swap out the pasta for gluten-free pasta.

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