One-pan pumpkin, sage & meatball pasta

• pumpkin or squash↗600g g

  cut into chunks

• garlic cloves↗6 whole
• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp

  plus extra for drizzling

• sausages↗6
• chilli flakes↗pinch of

  pinch of, plus extra to serve

• sage leaves↗10
• rigatoni↗400g g
• mascarpone↗250g g
• parmesan↗50g g

  grated, plus extra to serve

• parsley↗small bunch of

  small bunch of, chopped

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the pumpkin and garlic cloves together in a large roasting tin and drizzle over 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Season well and mix to coat. Roast for 20 mins.

2. 2

   Squeeze the meat from sausages out of their skins into a bowl. Divide into small, equal-sized pieces, then roll each piece into a meatball. Shake the roasting tin, then dot the meatballs all over the top and sprinkle over the chilli flakes. Cook for 25 mins more, or until the pumpkin and garlic have softened and the meatballs are browned. Use the remaining olive oil to rub each sage leaf all over, then scatter into the tin. Roast for another 5 mins.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water following pack instructions, or until al dente. Drain, reserving the cooking water.

4. 4

   Remove the tin from the oven. Squeeze the garlic from its skins into the tin, then mash with a fork. Mash about a quarter of the pumpkin, too.

5. 5

   Tip the mascarpone into the tin along with half the parmesan and a mugful of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together, adding more of the pasta water, if needed, until you have a silky sauce. Stir through the parsley and serve topped with the remaining parmesan and another pinch of chilli flakes.