Venison and Butternut Squash Pasta Bake
A comforting wild venison pasta bake made with Lean + Wild venison mince, roasted butternut squash, mushrooms and spinach, all tossed in a creamy sage and Parmesan sauce and baked until golden and bubbling.
Prep: 20 mins Cook: 1 hr 10 mins Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
1 butternut squash (about 900g), peeled, deseeded and cut into 2–3cm cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
500g Lean + Wild venison mince
50g unsalted butter
10 fresh sage leaves
50g plain flour
500ml whole milk, plus a little extra if needed
A little freshly grated nutmeg
40g grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
300g pasta
70g mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
100g spinach, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Roast the squash
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Toss the butternut squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 35–40 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and lightly caramelised.
2. Brown the venison mince
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the venison mince, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 6–10 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
3. Make the sage and Parmesan sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry for a few minutes until crisp. Remove and set aside on kitchen paper. Stir the flour into the butter and cook briefly, then gradually whisk in the milk until smooth and thickened, around 7–10 minutes. Add the nutmeg, Parmesan and Dijon mustard, and season to taste.
4. Cook the pasta and vegetables
Cook the fusilli according to the packet instructions until just al dente, then drain. Fry the mushrooms in a little oil with a pinch of salt until golden. Add the garlic and spinach, stirring until the spinach wilts.
Stir the mushrooms, spinach, roasted squash, cooked venison mince and pasta into the cheese sauce. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of milk or water.
5. Bake
Transfer everything to a lightly oiled baking dish. Scatter over the crispy sage leaves and extra grated Parmesan. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving.