Ingredients:

1 large jap pumpkin
2 tsp olive oil
4 large onions, peeled and chopped into eighths
1 clove garlic
1 bunch English spinach, roughly chopped
160 g soba noodles
4 shallots
2 tsp rice vinegar

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds and bake for 45 minutes or until flesh is soft. Cover with foil if pumpkin starts to brown.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan and cook onions until caramelised.

In another saucepan, water sauté garlic for 30 seconds. Add spinach, cover and cook on low heat for 3 minutes. Purée in food processor until very smooth.

Cook the soba noodles in a large pan of boiling water for 5 minutes.Drain and mix with chopped shallots and rice vinegar.

Fill each pumpkin half with half the noodles, top with half the onions and place in the oven for 10 minutes to re-heat. Serve topped with spinach sauce.