HAZELNUT & BUTTERNUT STAR

SERVES 6

1 large butternut squash

1 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 500g ready-made shortcrust pastry 1 tbsp sage, roughly chopped

100g ricotta

1 egg, whisked

50g hazelnuts, lightly toasted

1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Peel the squash and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into 2cm chunks. Place in a roasting tin, drizzle over the olive oil, season and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until just cooked. Leave to cool.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 4-5mm thick. Cut out the shape of a five-point star and place on a lined baking sheet. Prick the star all over using a fork.

Using the excess pastry, cut out shapes using a

2cm fluted cutter. Brush the edge of the star with a little water and arrange the pastry shapes in overlapping lines around the edge of the star to form a border. Chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place half of the roasted butternut squash in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add the sage and ricotta and gently mix. Season to taste.

Spread the squash and ricotta mix over the star, keeping it inside the border. Dot the remaining pieces of squash all over the mix. Brush the border with the beaten egg and sprinkle the hazelnuts over the pastry.

Place a baking tray in the oven to heat up. Slide the star and baking paper onto the hot baking tray and bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

ORANGE & THYME ROAST POTATOES

SERVES 8

1.8kg potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward), peeled 2 oranges

3 tbsp goose fat

3 tbsp chopped thyme leaves

2 cloves of garlic

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Cut the potatoes in half or in quarters if they are very big – they should all be similar in size. Put them into a saucepan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and cook for eight minutes. Drain.

Peel nice long strips from the two oranges, using a vegetable peeler.

Place the goose fat in a roasting tin over a hot hob. When the goose fat is hot, stir in the orange peel, thyme leaves and the cloves of garlic.

Next add the potatoes and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss in the fat and cook in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. While the potatoes are roasting, baste in the goose fat every 10 minutes.

MARSALA & STAR ANISE POACHED PEARS

SERVES 4

250ml dry Marsala wine

100g sugar

2 tbsp honey

1 star anise

2 cloves

1 stick of cinnamon

1 tbsp lemon juice

4 pears, peeled with the stem still attached 200ml mascarpone, to serve

Place the Marsala wine, sugar, honey, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and place the pears in the pan, standing upright. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes.

Baste the pears with the liquid a couple of times during the cooking, until the pears can easily be pierced with a fork.

Scoop the pears onto serving dishes, pour the syrup on top and serve with a dollop of mascarpone.

Beautiful and carefully selected products for living by Clodagh Mckenna are featured in this shoot and available on her website: CLODAGHMCKENNA.COM