• Start by preheating your oven to 190c/170c Fan forced/375f.
• Cut the pumpkin up into cubes, leaving the skin on. Arrange in an oven-proof dish or baking sheet.
• Nestle the shallot and garlic in and around the pumpkin, as well as the sage.
• Drizzle liberally with olive oil, and season with a little salt.
• Use your hands to toss it all together and coat the pumpkin with the oil, then roast for approx 60 minutes or until the pumpkin has softened and broken down, and it is ever so slightly caramelised.

Stracciatella

• While the pumpkin is roasting, make the stracciatella.
• Tear the mozzarella into small pieces and add to a bowl.
• Pour over the heavy cream and stir to combine.
• Season to taste with salt, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Walnut pangrattato

• Grind the walnuts in a mortar and pestle (or blitz to a rough crumb in a food processor).
• Add to a completely dry frying pan and toast gently over a lowish heat until very toasted and super nutty in smell. Make sure you move the walnuts around in the pan frequently to avoid any hot spots.
• Remove from the heat and decant from the pan quickly so as not to burn/take too far, and set aside.

Finishing touches

• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salting generously.
• Cook the rigatoni until al dente.
• With the pumpkin now out of the oven, add the rigatoni to the pan along with the butter and lots of pasta waster. Start with 1/2 cup of pasta water and add as much as a cup - we want this to disperse the pumpkin into a sauce so judge by eye here.
• Stir and toss this all vigorously, allowing the butter and water to emulsify with the pumpkin until the broken down flesh coats the pasta.
• I like to serve this family style as pictured - drop big dollops of the stracciatella all over and finally sprinkle with the toasted walnuts.