Creamy Leek and Roast Butternut Rigatoni with Sage and Parmesan

This is Autumn comfort food in a bowl. Leek, Butternut and Sage together is a match made in heaven and this was a perfect dinner on a rainy October day.

For 2 portions you will need:

• 1 Butternut Squash (I used half once roasted)

• 2 Leeks halved lengthways and sliced

• 150g Rigatoni

• 200ml Vegetable Stock

• 100g Light Cream Cheese

• 30g Parmesan

• 20g Butter

• 1 Garlic clove minced

• 8 Sage Leaves

This is one of my favourite ways to cook and eat butternut squash as it’s a lot easy to peel and dice once roasted!

First cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds, lightly score the flesh and place in a roasting tin, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper and finely slice 4 sage leaves and add to the butternut squash.

Roast on 180’ for 20 minutes then turn the butternut squash over and roast for another 20 minutes.

For the Creamy Leeks, soften the leeks in a little oil, salt and pepper on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Finely slice the remaining 4 sage leaves and add to the leeks along with the butter and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the Vegetable Stock and simmer for 5 minutes then add the Light Cream Cheese, stirring through to create a creamy sauce.

Once the Butternut is roasted, add the Rigatoni to a pan of boiling, salted water.

Whilst the pasta is cooking, peel and roughly dice half the butternut squash, I used the other half for another meal. Grate the Parmesan.

Once the Pasta is cooked al dente after around 8 minutes, drain saving some of the starchy pasta water, add the cooked pasta to the creamy leeks with a little of the starchy water to create a nice, creamy sauce consistency.

Add the diced butternut and most of the Parmesan, stirring through till all combined.

Serve with the leftover Parmesan on top and any leftover Sage finely chopped.

Hope you enjoy!

L x