3 autumnal pasta recipes that are bound to impress

Winter is fast approaching, and we’re trading in the summer salads and light bites for hearty, satisfying mealtimes. To that end, you can’t go wrong with pasta — but forget your standard spag bol, how can we usher in the colder months with a little bit more pizzazz?

Whether you want to impress the in-laws or put on a dinner party to remember, we have just the recipes to keep your guests coming back for more. Fend off the winter blues with three of our favourite autumnal pasta dishes.

1.    Wild mushroom pasta

Each year, autumn delivers an abundance of fungi to hordes of thankful foodies. While it can often be a little wet for foraging, there’s plenty you can do with store bought shiitake, chanterelle and oyster varieties. Besides, for this recipe, we’ll be using fresh pasta and cooking it to al dente perfection to give our dish the edge. Pasta Evangelists offers a comprehensive guide to cooking fresh pasta that has a “slight resistance ‘to the tooth’, but only enough to ensure a subtle and pleasantly chewy bite”, so you can serve your pasta like a true Italian every time.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 175g fresh farfalle pasta
• 225g mixed wild mushrooms, sliced (shiitake, chanterelle or oyster)
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp truffle butter
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• Parmesan to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Melt the truffle butter over medium-low heat, then add the mushrooms and garlic. Sauté for three to five minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and slightly browned.
3. Combine with the pasta and toss with chilli flakes and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Top with parmesan and serve.

2.    Kale and squash orecchiette

Kale is an ever-trendy superfood that boasts a range of health benefits, but it’s also a seasonal staple of the autumntime. Combine it with roasted butternut squash and quirky orecchiette pasta, and you’ve got a filling, colourful dish ready to brighten up any dark evening. In Italian, orecchiette means “little ears” — referencing the intricate, concave look of the pasta shell. The dainty shape is the perfect pairing for smaller veggies, so make sure to chop your squash into bite-sized cubes.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 175g orecchiette pasta
• 200g butternut squash, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch kale
• ½ onion, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan to taste
• Parsley to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Toss the diced butternut squash in olive oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated, and spread on a lined roasting tray. Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until it’s tender.
2. Add kale to the tray for the last 10 minutes of cooking, allowing it to wilt slightly.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to a boil and add the orecchiette. Cook until al dente, then drain and set aside.
4. With a little oil, sauté the garlic and onion over a medium heat until browned.
5. Once the squash is done roasting, combine with the pasta, garlic and onion. Garnish with parmesan and fresh parsley.

3.    Pumpkin and sage pasta bake

An October icon, the classic pumpkin is a versatile ingredient. It pairs especially well with the fragrant notes of sage — and the two have been combined in everything from cake to pizza. While presenting your guests with pumpkin pizza would no doubt be a memorable mealtime, we’re opting for a warming pasta bake, letting the herbal sage flavouring take centre stage in a creamy ricotta sauce.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500g rigatoni
• 425g pumpkin puree
• 175g mozzarella, shredded
• 250g ricotta
• 500ml whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped sage
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Whole sage leaves for garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Next, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and combine with flour until a paste forms.
3. Add ricotta, milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, garlic, sage, nutmeg and a generous shake of salt and pepper, then mix until combined.
4. Combine cooked pasta with the pumpkin mix until evenly coated, and pour half of the mixture into a baking dish. Top with half of torn mozzarella and add the remaining pasta over the top, followed by the leftover mozzarella.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
6. Garnish with sage leaves and serve.