| 250 g | spaghetti |
| 300 g | Hokkaido pumpkins |
| 2 | leeks |
| 1 clove | garlic |
| 2 tbsp | butter |
| 25 g | Parmesan cheese |
| 400 ml | water |
| salt | |
| pepper |
Preheat oven to 180°C/356°F. Scoop any seeds out of the Hokkaido pumpkin with a spoon and discard (or wash and save for another use). Cut the pumpkin into small cubes, approx. 2 cm. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle them with a little olive oil if desired, and season with salt. Transfer to the oven and let roast for approx. 30 min, or until the pumpkin is just beginning to brown.
In the meantime, slice the white part of the leeks into rings, approx. 1/2 cm wide and mince the garlic. Set a large pot over medium heat and melt the butter in it. Once melted, add the leeks and garlic and sauté until the leeks are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, approx 5 – 7 min. Season with salt and pepper and reserve ¼ of the leeks for garnishing.
For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, take the roasted pumpkin out of the oven and transfer it to the pot with the leeks. Add water and bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth and creamy. Add grated Parmesan, season with salt and pepper and blend again. Leave on low heat while the pasta cooks.
Cook pasta, according to packaging instructions. Once it’s very al dente, use tongs to transfer it to the pumpkin sauce, toss well and let simmer in the sauce briefly to finish cooking. Garnish with the reserved leeks and serve with extra grated Parmesan on top. Enjoy!
