Swede & pancetta spaghetti

• olive oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• swede↗250g g

  peeled and chopped into small chunks

• onion↗1

  roughly chopped

• garlic cloves↗2

  crushed

• parmesan↗40g g

  grated, plus extra to serve

• spaghetti↗300g g
• diced pancetta↗120g g

  (smoked if you can get it)

• thyme sprigs↗2

  leaves picked, plus extra to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, then add the swede, onion and garlic and fry for 5 mins. Cover with a lid and cook for a further 10-15 mins, stirring so it doesn’t stick, until the swede is completely soft. Set aside to cool, then blitz in a food processor or mash with the parmesan and a large pinch of seasoning. Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

2. 2

   Cook the pasta in salted water for 1 min less than pack instructions, reserving a little of the cooking water. Meanwhile, use the frying pan you used for the sauce to fry the pancetta until crisp, around 5 mins. Add the thyme and fry for 1 min, then tip into the sauce.

3. 3

   Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the sauce, add the reserved water, and give everything a good toss around the pan, so the pasta is well coated in the sauce. Season, then split between bowls, top with more parmesan and a big grind of black pepper to serve.