Pasta with Spiced Chickpeas and Spinach

This recipe is quick and easy and makes a tasty vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

375g dried penne

700g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes

Olive oil cooking spray

2tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, peeled, halved and cut into thin wedges

2 crushed garlic cloves

2tsp sweet paprika

2tsp ground cumin

½ cup vegetable stock

2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed

100g baby spinach

2tbs chopped flat leaf parsley

Shaved parmesan or another cheese of your choice to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven). Line a large baking tray with baking parchment and arrange pumpkin on the tray. Spray the pumpkin with oil and roast for 20 minutes until tender and golden.
2. Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water until tender. Drain and cover to keep warm.
3. Heat oil in a large deep frying pan and cook onion for five minutes or until softened. Add paprika, garlic and cumin and continue to cook for another minute or so until the spices are fragrant. Add pumpkin and chickpeas and cook for two minutes. Use the back of a wooden spoon to lightly crush around a quarter of the chickpeas.
4. Add the spinach and stock to pan and season to taste. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the spinach begins to wilt. Add parsley and pasta and toss until all the ingredients are evenly mixed and heated through. Serve and top with Parmesan.