Pappardelle with pumpkin, bacon and torn bread

Salty smoky bacon combines with sweet pumpkin to make this delicious 30 minute meal.

• 400g butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded
• 200g piece sourdough bread
• 4 slices rindless short-cut bacon
• 80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons baby capers
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 375g fresh pappardelle
• 1 lemon
• 150g fresh ricotta (see note)

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 220C fan-forced. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, coarsely grate pumpkin. Cut crusts from bread, then tear into small pieces. Thinly slice bacon.

2. Step 2

   Line a large oven tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin on tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and scatter over capers. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to combine. Spread mixture to cover half the tray. Place bread and bacon on other half of tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and toss bread mixture to combine. Bake, stirring each mixture halfway through, for 12 minutes or until bread is golden and pumpkin is tender.

3. Step 3

   Meanwhile, thinly slice garlic and roughly chop parsley, reserving a few leaves to serve. Add pasta to boiling water, return to the boil, then cook for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving 180ml (3/4 cup) cooking water.

4. Step 4

   Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 1/2 minutes or until golden. Add pasta, reserved cooking water, pumpkin and bread mixtures. Squeeze over juice from lemon, tear over half the parsley, then toss to combine.

5. Step 5

   Divide pasta among bowls, then top with small spoonfuls of ricotta. Tear over reserved parsley to serve.

Ricotta adds a nice creaminess to the pasta, but use parmesan if that's all you've got on hand.

Pappardelle is a long, ribbon-like, egg-based pasta, traditionally served with a meat ragu.