Caramelised butternut, spinach & cheese rotolo

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven 200ºC, gas mark 6. To make the pasta, beat the eggs in a bowl until combined, then add the flour, mixing to a rough dough. Knead for 5 minutes or so, until smooth (it’s quite a dry mix but keep kneading – it will come together). Wrap and set aside.

2. 2

   Put the butternut squash in a single layer on a foil-lined baking tray. Sprinkle with the sugar and a little salt, then dot with 50g butter. Roast for 45-50 minutes, until softened and starting to caramelise. Transfer to a medium bowl with all the juices and set aside.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, heat 50g butter in a large, wide frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, until starting to turn golden. Stir in ½ the spinach, cooking for a few minutes until just wilting, before adding the rest and repeating. Season and transfer to a sieve. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess liquid from the spinach, then roughly chop and pat dry with kitchen paper. Put in a mixing bowl with the cottage cheese, lemon zest and juice and grated cheese; season. Using a fork, mash the roasted squash, then stir through the chilli flakes and ½ the rosemary.

4. 4

   Roll out the pasta on a well-floured surface so that you have a rectangle about 35cm x 45cm. Lay the pasta sheet on a clean damp tea towel with one of the long sides facing towards you. Working quickly, spread the spinach mixture over the pasta, leaving a 2-3cm border. Dot the spinach mixture with the squash mixture and spread evenly. Lightly brush the exposed pasta with a little water, then use the tea towel to help you roll up the pasta like a Swiss roll. Press gently so the pasta seals on the exposed back edge and pinch in the ends like a Christmas cracker. Carefully slide the rotolo onto one end of the tea towel, seam-side down, and wrap the towel tightly around the pasta. Tie the ends tightly with kitchen string and then repeat, tying along the sausage at 10cm intervals.

5. 5

   Boil a kettle and half-fill a deep roasting tin with the just-boiled water. Gently lay the rotolo in the tin, cover the tin tightly with foil, then bake for 50 minutes, until piping hot in the centre. Using tongs, carefully lift out the cooked rotolo and let it rest for 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Unwrap the rotolo onto a large serving platter. Heat the remaining 100g butter in a small saucepan until melted. Add the chopped pistachios and remaining chopped rosemary. Cook, swirling the pan, until the pistachios and herbs are a rich golden colour (about 1-2 minutes) before pouring over the rotolo. Serve the rotolo cut into 3cm rounds.