Pumpkin pasta bake

This vegan version of the pasta bake is made rich and creamy thanks to the seasonal roasted pumpkin in the sauce. If you want to make it veggie add a few handfuls of grated hard cheese to the topping before baking.

Ingredients

Serves: 6

Ready in: 45 mins

• • • 500g pumpkin, chopped into 2cm cubes
    • 1 ½ tbsp oil
    • 300g macaroni or other small pasta shapes
    • 1 litre unsweetened soya or other non-dairy milk
    • 1 onion
    • 100g margarine or non-dairy spread
    • 80g plain flour
    • 4 sundried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (optional)
    • 1 tbsp Marmite
    • 1 ½ tsp English mustard
    • large handful baby spinach, roughly chopped
    • 100g breadcrumbs
    • 1 garlic clove

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan.
   
2. Prepare the pumpkin and spread out on a baking tray. Drizzle with the oil and toss to combine. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway.
   
3. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
4. Infuse the milk for the white sauce; peel and cut the onion in half, then add it to a pan with the milk and gently heat until bubbling. Scoop out the onion and set the milk aside.
5. Melt the margarine in a large saucepan over a gentle heat then add the flour slowly, whisking until it forms a smooth paste. Slowly add the warm milk to the pan, whisking after each addition until smooth.
6. Once you have added all of the milk and you have a smooth liquid, bubble for 5 mins over a low heat, whisking often to stop it from sticking, until thickened. Stir in the sundried tomatoes, Marmite and English mustard until well combined.
7. Take the pumpkin out of the oven. Mash a third of it until smooth then whisk into the sauce. Season well with salt and pepper.
8. Drain the pasta (if you have done this in advance, and the pasta is sticking together, just pour over hot water to loosen it) and tip it into the sauce along with the rest of the pumpkin chunks and the baby spinach. Stir gently to combine, then transfer the mixture into a large ovenproof dish.
9. Heat 1 tbsp of oil from the sundried tomato jar (or olive oil) then add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 min until softened, before adding the breadcrumbs. Stir to combine and cook for another minute then scatter over the pasta and sauce.
10. Bake in the oven for 15-18 mins until golden and bubbling.