Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, chopped into 3cm cubes (around 675g)
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- 16 small sage leaves, 6 whole and 10 finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 500g dried rigatoni
- 130g smoked pancetta cubes
- 30g salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 30g plain flour
- 550ml whole milk
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 100g crème fraîche
- 175g mature cheddar, coarsely grated
- 120g baby spinach
- 40g panko breadcrumbs
Method
1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. On a large roasting tray, toss the butternut squash with the oil, whole sage leaves and some salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for 30-35 mins until softened and golden.
2 Cook the pasta according to pack instructions, then drain well. Meanwhile, fry the pancetta in a large casserole dish or saucepan over a medium heat for 5-6 mins until golden. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon, then leave to drain on kitchen paper.
3 Heat the butter in the same pan. Once melted and foaming, add the garlic and paprika and cook for 1 min until fragrant, then stir in the flour to form a paste. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly, until you have a smooth sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, remove from the heat and stir in the Dijon mustard, crème fraîche and most of the cheddar. Season to taste.
4 Stir the pasta, spinach, squash and half the pancetta into the sauce, then transfer to a baking dish. Heat the grill to high.
5 Roughly chop the remaining pancetta and mix with the breadcrumbs, chopped sage, remaining cheddar and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Scatter over the pasta, then top with a few extra sage leaves and grill for 8-10 mins until bubbling and golden.
