DARK SPAGHETTI WITH RED SPHERIKA HERRING PEARLS

INGREDIENTS:

• 500 g of black spaghetti
• 1 butternut squash
• 440g canned whole tomatoes
• 200 ml of orange juice
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of concentrated tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Harissa
• 1 bat-shaped cookie cutter
• 1 jar of red Spherika herring pearls (50g)

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
2. Peel the butternut squash and cut four thin rings. Cut the rest into cubes.
3. Use the cookie cutter to cut four bats into the pumpkin rings.
4. Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the paprika powder, salt and pepper. Brush the bats and pumpkin cubes with the mixture.
5. Spread the pumpkin cubes and the bats on a baking tray lined with baking paper and brown them in the oven at 200ºC for about 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion and garlic along with the tomato paste and harissa paste. Deglaze with the orange juice and add the canned tomatoes. Mix and cook over low heat, covered, for about 20 minutes. Add the thyme.
7. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain.
8. Add the pumpkin cubes to the tomato sauce and cook over low heat for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Plate the spaghetti, distribute the tomato sauce with pumpkin and add a bat to each plate. Finish with a few tablespoons of red Spherika herring pearls.

SERVINGS: 4