Creamy Pumpkin Mac & Cheese with Crispy Sage

Preheat oven to 220ºC fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Steam pumpkin for 10 minutes, or until soft. Make sure not to discard the water, as this will be used to cook the rigatoni. Place pumpkin on the baking tray and season with salt, paprika and cayenne pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the edges crisp and the inside is still soft.

While the pumpkin bakes, bring the same pot of water to a boil again, salt and add a little more water if needed. Cook rigatoni for 13 minutes, or according to packet instructions. Drain, rinse and set aside in a large bowl.

In a medium skillet, heat butter over medium/high heat. Add garlic, salt and pepper and sauté for 30 seconds. Once the garlic butter is bubbling, transfer half of it to a high-speed blender. Keep the remaining half in the skillet. To the skillet, add the breadcrumbs and sage leaves. Stir frequently for 3–4 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add roasted pumpkin, cottage cheese, parmesan, salt & pepper and plant milk to the blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour mac and cheese sauce over rigatoni and gently combine, coating pasta well.

Spread the harissa sauce over a large serving plate. Top with crispy potatoes, sprinkling any leftover parmesan seasoning on top. Enjoy!

Divide rigatoni into serving bowls. Top with the crispy sage mixture and enjoy!