Today I have two very easy to make recipes, both of which became popular midway through the last century. Carbonara, made with eggs, hard cheese and pepper, was introduced in Italy and usually served with spaghetti – though it is now used with many different pastas.

The smoked salmon makes it even tastier. Or you could try Goatsbridge smoked trout from Ger and Mags Kirwan in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny. In Co Louth, you will find another fine family business that grows asparagus and garlic. The Colliers in Drummond House in Baltray are people who care about how food is produced. Check out their website at www.drummondhouse.ie.

Butternut squash was first developed in America in the 1940s. There is a story that it was given the name because it is “soft as butter and sweet as nuts”. I don’t know if it is true, but it makes sense to me. The orange flesh has that sweet nutty taste, like a pumpkin. It is also delicious roasted and is great for soups. Try any Simply Better Bronze Die DOP pasta. It is excellent.

Hot-smoked salmon carbonara

Serves four to six

500g spaghetti

200g (7oz) asparagus spears, trimmed

200g (7oz) frozen peas

4 eggs

4 tbsp cream

100g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

200g hot-smoked salmon, broken into bite-size pieces (skin discarded)

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 Cook the spaghetti according to pack instructions. Blanch the asparagus and peas for two minutes, then drain and refresh under cold running water.
  • 2 Beat together the eggs and cream with most of the Parmesan. Season with pepper.
  • 3 Scoop out a small cupful of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti. Fold in the vegetables with the salmon and the Parmesan mixture.
  • 4 Return to a medium heat and toss together quickly with a tongs, then, once it’s begun to thicken, add a splash of the cooking water to loosen the sauce a little.
  • 5 Divide among bowls and scatter over the rest of the Parmesan and the parsley to serve.

    • Butternut squash lasagne with ricotta

    Serves six

    One butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

    1 tbsp chopped fresh sage

    2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra

    500g (1¼lb) fresh Italian ricotta cheese

    Two eggs

    250g (9oz) mascarpone cheese

    200g (7oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, extra to garnish

    6 fresh pasta lasagne sheets

    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Green salad, to serve

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F, gas mark five). Put the butternut squash in a roasting tin with the sage and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Mix the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan and mascarpone cheese, then season with salt and pepper.
  • 2 Lightly grease a 24cm (10in) baking dish. Put two lasagne sheets on the bottom and scatter over half of the roasted butternut squash. Add another layer of lasagne, then spread with half of the ricotta mixture. Add the remaining lasagne sheets and then cover with the rest of the ricotta mixture. Scatter over a little more Parmesan cheese.
  • 3 Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until golden.

  • 4 Stand for five minutes, cutting into slices. Serve with a separate bowl of green salad.