Creamy Butternut Squash Pappardelle with Pancetta & Sage

If you haven’t seen Hannah Mai Miller’s (@hannahmaieats) indulgent plates on your Instagram or TikTok feeds, you have seriously been missing out. From Pork Cheek & Butter Beans to Pear & Miso Tarte Tatin, Creamy Leek Potatoes, and French Onion Soup – her recipes are one to watch.

As the temperature drops, we’re in the mood for comfort food, so we asked Hannah to create a seasonal dish designed for cosy nights. Her delicious Creamy Butternut Squash Pappardelle with Pancetta & Sage definitely delivers, with ribbons of pasta coated in a velvety butternut squash sauce, crispy bites of salty pancetta and hits of seasonal sage. Just add a sprinkling of parmesan and it’s the perfect pasta recipe for a weeknight dinner or festive get together.

Sound good? You can make it yourself with the full recipe and method below…

Method⁠:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.

2. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthways and remove the seeds. Slice the top off the bulb of garlic.

3. Place the butternut squash halves and the garlic bulb on a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until soft and tender.

4. Once the butternut squash and garlic are roasted, remove from the oven.

5. Using a spoon, scoop out 500g of the roasted butternut squash flesh. Any extra squash can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for another meal.

6. In a pan, combine the roasted butternut squash flesh, the roasted garlic (squeezed out from the cloves) and mascarpone. Add the grated parmesan cheese to the mixture. Stir well and simmer over low heat to create a creamy sauce.

7. Start cooking the pappardelle according to the package instructions until it's al dente. Drain the pasta (keeping the pasta water) and set it aside. Add one ladle of pasta water to your creamy sauce to loosen it a little.

8. To make the topping, place the pancetta in a separate pan and fry it until it starts to become crispy and golden.

9. Add a knob of butter and the sage leaves to the crispy pancetta, and cook for a couple of minutes until the sage becomes crispy.

10. Add the drained pappardelle to the creamy butternut squash sauce. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a bit more pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.

11. Serve the butternut squash pappardelle, and top it with the buttery pancetta and crispy sage.

12. Finish the dish with a generous crack of black pepper and some extra grated parmesan cheese for serving.

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