chorizo and butternut squash are a much loved combination of mine. the sweetness of both can be overly rich and cloying but are easily lifted with some chilli (i tend to buy “picante” chorizo so don’t need to add extra), lemon juice and fresh herbs (flat leaf parsley is my herb of choice).

this pasta dish is perfect for days when you need a lift – comfort food with a lemony herby twist. it’s also my contribution to presto pasta nights, hosted by katie from thyme for cooking.

chorizo and butternuts squash with penne (serves 2-3)

150-200g butternuts squash, peeled and cut into bitesize pieces

penne for two

200g uncooked chorizo sausages

juice of a lemon

handful or chopped flat leaf parsley

cook the butternut squash in a large pan of boiling water, until it is just ready to eat. remove the squash with a slotted spoon, set aside, and add the penne to the boiling water.

in a large frying pan cook your chorizo over a medium heat - as the chorizo cooks it will release its own oils so you don’t need to add any extra oil. when the sausage is starting to cook through add the squash, mixing well so it becomes coated with the chorizo oils. turn the heat up and fry until the sausage is cooked through and starting to catch on the edges (these are the really tasty bits!). turn the heat down until your pasta is ready.

add the lemon juice to the sausage and squash pan and stir well, scraping off any bits that have stick to the bottom of the pan. add the parsley and drained pasta. mix well and serve with parmesan shavings.