Cooking for Friends. Gordon Ramsay

leaves from a few sprigs of rosemary

       few sprigs of thyme

       400g dried penne

       30g freshly grated parmesan, plus shavings to serve

      Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Cut the pumpkin into thin wedges. Spread a little olive oil over the base of a roasting tray and sprinkle over a little salt and pepper. Arrange the pumpkin in a single layer and drizzle generously with more olive oil. Scatter over the garlic, herbs and a little more seasoning. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to the boil.

      Reserving the oil in the roasting tray (discard the herbs and garlic pulp; they have done their job), remove the skin from the pumpkin and cut the flesh into small bite-size chunks. If making a smooth sauce, put the pumpkin along with the reserved oil into a food processor and blend to a smooth purée. Transfer to a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and let it bubble until reduced to a consistency that will coat the pasta well.

      Cook the penne according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain into a colander and return to the hot pan. Add the pumpkin purée and grated parmesan and toss well. If you’ve decided to leave the pumpkins in chunks, simply toss them and the reserved oil with the pasta and parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide among individual plates and sprinkle each plate with a small handful of parmesan shavings to serve.

       Spaghetti with broccoli, garlic and chilli

       I first tasted this pasta dish in Sicily, and it blew me away. Who would have thought a little garlic, chilli and broccoli could make a delicious spaghetti sauce? The key is to flavour good-quality olive oil with the garlic and chilli over low-ish heat before you add the broccoli. You don’t want the garlic to colour too much or it will overpower the dish.

      SERVES 4

       400g dried spaghetti

       4 tbsp olive oil

       5 large garlic cloves, finely sliced

       1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

       1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets splash of water or chicken stock (see page 258) squeeze of lemon juice, to taste extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

      Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to packet instructions until al dente.

      A few minutes before the pasta is ready, heat a large sauté pan with the oil over low-to-medium heat. Add the garlic, chilli and a pinch of salt and sauté for a minute. When the garlic becomes sticky and very lightly golden around the edges, add the broccoli and a splash of water. Cover the pan with a lid and leave to steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid, squeeze over the lemon juice and toss the broccoli with a little more seasoning.

      Drain the pasta and immediately tip into the sauté pan, adding a little of the salted water from the pan to help create a sauce. Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and check the seasoning. Divide among warm plates and serve at once.