Pappardelle is generous pasta strips of about 5cm wide, an easy shape when you decide to make your own pasta. In this recipe we toss the pasta with roasted cubes of butternut, feta or even soft sheep's cheese and pumpkin seeds. It is one of those all-rounder dishes that works as a side to a roast or braai, but is pretty perfect all on its own, especially when served with a delicious glass of 2020 La Motte Chardonnay.

Pappardelle:

500 g ’00’ pasta flour

12 egg yolks

2 eggs

pinch of saffron

2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil

1 tsp (5 ml) salt

Mix all the ingredients together to make a firm dough and knead well. Refrigerate for 1 hour before use.

Roll out the dough to the last setting on the machine and cut into 15 cm long x 5 cm wide strips. Toss in semolina and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes.

Cook the pasta just before serving.

Butternut:

250 ml diced butternut

pinch of finely chopped fresh roesemary

2.5 ml freshly ground black pepper

salt

2.5 ml lemon zest

5 ml lemon juice

30 ml butter or olive oil

60 ml soft sheep's cheese, feta or other cheese of choice, crumbled

45 ml pumpkin seeds, toasted

good-quality olive oil or lemon-infused olive oil, for serving

rocket and large bunch fresh sweet basil, for serving

Mix the butternut, rosemary, pepper, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice and butter or olive oil in an ovenproof dish and grill for about 40 minutes until golden and just tender. 

Toss the blanched pasta and roasted butternut mixture with the sheep's cheese or feta, pumpkin seeds and extra olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Top with rocket, torn sweet basil and a drizzle of olive oil.