Butternut, Sage, and Pancetta Pasta Salad

Squash, sage and pancetta are staples of autumn eating, and here we’ve added a touch of brightness from the lemon infused fusilli.

Prep:
10 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Serves:
4-6

Ingredients

Half a large butternut squash, peeled and sliced

4 Tbsp olive oil

40g pancetta

300g La Genuina fusilli limone pasta

100g crème fraîche

Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

A small handful of sage leaves

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Toss the sliced butternut with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt. Lay on a baking paper-lined tray in a single layer and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until just tender. On a separate tray, bake the pancetta for 5-10 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water for 12 minutes until bite tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Run the pasta under cold water and drain again. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Put the crème fraîche in a large bowl and whisk together with the lemon zest and juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and ½ cup of the pasta water. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside ¼ cup of the dressing, then add the remaining dressing to the pasta bowl and toss well, adding a little more pasta water to loosen if required.

Heat the remaining oil over a medium-low heat in a small frying pan and add the sage leaves. Cook until crisp and drain on paper towels.

To serve, put the pasta on a platter and top with the roasted butternut, pancetta, and sage. Drizzle over the remaining dressing.