Bear with me...

This dish is actually about ease and making it really simple, whether you’re going to boast about it a lot or not. A superb combination of spaghetti, chilli and butternut squash, among other ingredients

If you’re not going to boast and merely hug the dish, it's one of the easiest out there. So just get along with it… I doubt it comes with whale meat these days. I’m sure you’ll cope.

Does this look like I’m apologising? Last night I cooked the #spaghetti ( with #chilli and #pepperoncino) and #butternutsquash version. It was great.

Tonight I’m re-cooking it reduced in #prosecco with fresh #tomatoes and with #greenchilis. I think it’s going to be equally great. How I cook spaghetti is based on lessons learned from my father. My love of the beauty of pasta was learned from this man alone... well until other kindred spirits entered my life. And no one else will ever teach me a love so great. Andiamo…

This is a recipe for two adults...

Ingredients

1. Approx. 150g spaghetti con pepperoncino…

2. 1 onion, finely sliced

3. ½ a butternut squash, cut in half again

4. ½ a glass of white white

5. Grated hard cheese; parmesan or even Manchego if you’re feeling creative...

6. 1 green pepper, very finely sliced

7. 2 green chillies, finely chopped

8. I tabspns of extra virgin olive oil

9. 2 cloves of garlic crushed

Cooking method

1. Crush the garlic and brown in a the olive oil

2. Add the onion and delight when it reaches its golden colour

3. Add the green chillies and, bit by bit, the prosecco. Reduce slowly and with love.

4. Add the butternut squash, cut in half add to furiously boiling water

5. Boil the kettle, adding salt. When it comes to the boil, add some more salt. Gently add the spaghetti and boil for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente, but at least until cooked through

6. Scrape the pips out of the butternut squash and plate

7. Mix the pesto and other vegetables into the spaghetti

8. Plate, spooning in to the butternut squash. Grate over the cheese.

Day Two

1. Chop an onion and cook this in a little olive oil, prosecco and tomato juice

2. As it reduces, add sliced tomatoes and continue to reduce; stirring

3. Continue to reduce, adding a little bacon

4. Add to the spaghetti and stir. Warm the mixture in the microwave as needed

5. Add the grated cheese and remember what this is: you aren’t here because you’re apologising, you’re hear because you’re offering a dish connected to such a big history. Stay with that.