Put a large pasta pot of salted water on the stove to boil over high heat. When there’s a rolling boil, add the pasta, give it a stir to ensure it’s separated, and put the lid partly on at a tilt; remove the lid when it starts to boil over, and cook until al dente.

In a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil until shimmering and fry the finely diced onion until soft and transparent, then transfer to a small dish.

To the same frying pan, add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and heat until hot then fry the butternut pumpkin cubes until soft, golden-brown, and even a little crunchy and charred in places.

Sprinkle on the salt, garlic powder, ground cumin, paprika, and turmeric, stir well to incorporate, and remove from the heat. Use a fork or mash the pumpkin, leaving some of the crunchier pieces whole.

Return the frying pan to the heat on low, return the cooked diced onion to the pan, and add the cream, tomato paste and a tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese (ideally grated Parmiagiano Reggiano), and stir to incorporate.

When the pasta is ready, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the pan, taking some pasta water with it, stir gently to combine well, increase the heat so the pumpkin sauce reduces until thick and creamy.

If the sauce is too dense, add more pasta water and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust the seasoning, adding a little more salt and spices if you like.

Transfer the creamy pumpkin pasta to a serving plate or distribute between bowls, then drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, chilli flakes, crunchy fried breadcrumbs, and fresh basil leaves.

Serve with a bottle of extra virgin olive oil, and more parmesan cheese, chilli flakes, crunchy fried breadcrumbs, and fresh basil on the table so people can customise their pasta as they like.