On a Wednesday night, when the business of the weekend has settled, but the Monday-Friday routine is in full swing, a dinner that always makes its way to our table is pasta. In particular, this veggie-laden, mincemeat concoction is our go-to as it’s super simple to make and appeals to all members of the family. While there is no sauce to speak of (though a pumpkin sauce does go very nicely with this dish), the caramelised pumpkin softens during the cooking process, sticking to the spiral pasta, and adding flavour. Amplifying the enjoyment factor is the generous helping of cheese sprinkled on top at the end. Yay for melty cheese! Super simple yet surprisingly satisfying, this is a meal to help you get over that mid-week hump.

Enjoy xx

Midweek Pasta

Serves 4

Equipment

• Grater
• Peeler
• Cutting board and knife
• Frypan
• Saucepans

Ingredients

Sunflower oil (for fying)

250 grams beef mince

2 cups of pumpkin (skin off and diced)

1 cup green beans (rinsed and chopped)

1 carrot (peeled and grated)

1 Tbsp butter

1 spring onion top (finely chopped)

500 grams pasta shells

Pinch salt

1 cup tasty cheese (grated)

Method

1.) Add a 1/2 Tbsp salt to a large pot of 2 1/2 L water and bring to boil. Add pasta and cook just until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup, and set aside.

2.) In a frypan, heat some oil, then sauté mince for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. When ready, set aside.

3.) In the same pan, add a splash more oil, then add pumpkin and cook for 5 minutes until soft and caramelised.

4.) Add the zucchini and carrot and sauté for a further 5 minutes.

5.) Add knob of butter and spring onion and fry for 1 minute. Add pasta water and cook for a further minute. Remove pan from heat.

6.) Drain pasta and add to veggie mix, tossing to combine.

7.) To serve, portion veggie mince pasta into bowls and top with grated cheese.

*Pumpkin (peeled) are listed in the RPAH handbook as moderate in salicylates, something to be mindful of if you’re very sensitive or looking to limit your chemical load. For a completely low salicylate option, you can replace with bamboo shoots, green beans and leek.

Note: Carrots are listed in the RPAH handbook as moderate in salicylates, however, Kęszycka et al. 2017 list carrot as low, so I’ve included them here. Just be mindful when trying the recipe for the first time.