Italian Sausage and Butternut Pumpkin Stuffed Shells

Serves: 10

Prep time : 55 min 

Bake: 30 min + standing

INGREDIENTS

  5 cups peeled butternut pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes

  3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

  32 uncooked jumbo pasta shells

  1/2 packet of L&S Natural Italian Sausages, remove casings

  2 cups finely chopped sweet onion, divided

  150g baby kale, chopped

  250g crumbled goat cheese, divided

  4 garlic cloves, minced

  800g chopped tomatoes, undrained

  2 tablespoons fresh L&S Sage

  1 tablespoon sugar

  125g milk

  125g cream

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 200°. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast squash, stirring halfway through, until tender and starting to caramelise, 40 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; roughly mash. Reduce heat to 180°.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

3. Remove casings from sausages so there is just Italian sausage meat.

4. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage meat and 1 cup onion, crumbling meat, until no longer pink. Add baby kale; cook until kale is tender, 3-5 minutes. Mix with squash. Stir in 125g of the goat cheese.

5. In same skillet, heat remaining olive oil. Add remaining onion; cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, sage and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes. Pulse in a blender until combined. Add milk and cream; pulse until smooth. Pour about half of sauce in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish.

6. Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons mixture; arrange in the baking dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce over shells; top with remaining goat cheese. Bake, covered, until beginning to bubble, 20 minutes. Remove cover; bake another 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.