Pasta with Pumpkin, Spinach and Pine Nuts

I got this ages ago from the Message Cookbook but never had a chance to make it until now. It was submitted by Libby Renton. "The pumpkin should remain in cubes, but if the variety you have is soft, it may end up in a mush."

• 1 small pumpkin (about 700 g), diced into 1.5 cm cubes
• 2 large handfuls baby spinach
• 50 g pine nuts, toasted
• cream (optional) - just a gloop
• freshly ground black pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg
• 200 g pasta eg. farfalle, penne, spirals
• freshly grated Parmesan

1. Place the pumpkin on a flat baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven for about 20 min, or until cooked and starting to turn brown at the edges.
2. When pumpkin is cooked, wilt the spinach in a pan, and add the pumpkin and the oily juices.
3. Add the cream if using.
4. Carefully stir through cooked pasta.
5. Add some pepper, nutmeg and Parmesan, and serve.

Variations

Add sliced onion, sliced mushrooms, and/or chopped pancetta at the start.

Notes

I used 3 glops of ricotta instead of cream, and sprinkled emmentel instead of Parmesan.

2/2/2010
Cut up the pumpkin and roasted with the skin on. Peeled off the skin after. Used Chinese long-shu-cai, parmesan and left out the pine nuts and cream. Delicious! Next time more nutmeg.