Lately, social media talk has been centred on healthy foods, diets and new-years resolutions. And while I think there’s merit in the first one (not only in the beginning of a new year though), I don’t necessarily believe in the other two. I’m much more prone to creating recipes that are delicious enough to become a favourite all-year round, not just cater to some short-time superficial trend or pressure you might feel. So I’m super happy that my first recipe of this new decade is this super delicious and easy pasta dish! Which ticks all the boxes of food I want to eat on a regular basis – it’s no-fuss, vegetable-heavy and most-importantly giving me all the comfort I could wish for on a cold winter’s day.

Have I mentioned that it’s incredibly easy to make – you only need a handful of ingredients and the sauce basically cooks itself in the oven. All you have to do is cut up your veggies and stir it all together once your pasta is cooked. This, if you ask me, is one of the greatest perks of this dish! Especially, since my little M was born, I’m in the need for dishes which I can cook while taking care of him and his unpredictable needs. That’s why this dish is perfect for all you new mommies and busy people out there.

A final word on resolutions. I strong-heartedly believe that new-years resolutions do no good whatsoever! Any well-thought-of resolution I’ve ever set for myself at the beginning of a new year has done more harm than good. And if you’re like me and putting pressure on yourself only leads to talking down on yourself and self-criticism on not achieving more, not doing more, not being better, than stop the bulls*t and start living your life one day after the other. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past 35years (especially over the past 3 month) then it’s that being in the moment and living in the present is all you need to fulfil your dreams and live the life you actually ever wanted.

As always, I truly hope you enjoy the recipe! If you make it, I’d be thrilled to find out how it turned out – either by leaving me a comment under this post, on instagram or via Facebook!

Lots of love,

Anna

Roasted Hokkaido & Kale Fettuccine

Created by Anna on 16th Jänner 2020

Nothing could be easier than making a sauce in the oven while cooking the pasta on the stove! These roasted Hokkaido & kale fettuccine basically cook themselves, while you have time to set the table, play with your kids or simply look out the window & enjoy a quiet moment. It’s also the perfect fall...

Prep Time: 10m
Cook Time: 25m
Total Time: 35m

Serves: 4
Category: all recipes, dinner, lunch, Main dish, recipes, Vegetarian

Ingredients

500 grams fettuccine (or pappardelle or tagliatelle)
1 organic hokkaido pumpkin (about 700g)
1 stalk leek
2 -3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin
1 small bunch curly kale (about 250g)
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
150 grams mascarpone cheese
fresh ground pepper & sea salt
parmesan for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200° C (400° F) and prepare a baking dish (about 10x15cm).
Wash and half the Hokkaido pumpkin. Remove seeds with a spoon and cut pumpkin into bite-size pieces. Place in the prepared baking dish.
Half leek and wash thoroughly (removing any sand and earth stuck between the leaves). Cut into 1/2cm rounds, removing the hard green parts as you move towards the end. Place in the prepared baking dish.
Peel and cut garlic into thin slices. Place in the baking dish, add olive oil and season with coarse salt and fresh black pepper. Place in the preheated oven and roast veggies for 20-25mins.
Meanwhile wash kale and remove the thick stems. Rip into smaller pieces and massage for a couple of minutes. Chop the parsley. Set aside.
Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt and fettuccine. Cook according to package details or until al dente. Drain pasta, preserving 250ml of the cooking liquid.
Once the pumpkin is cooked and lightly browned remove from the oven. Add mascarpone cheese and half of the preserved cooking liquid and stir through.
Add kale, parsley and drained pasta to the baking dish and stir through. Add more cooking liquid if the pasta seems dry.
Season with salt, fresh pepper and an additional serving of extra-virgin olive oil if you like. Top with shaved parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Note: If you can't find any fresh curly kale, use tuscan kale thinly sliced or fresh baby spinach instead.