Potato, Pumpkin & Sage Gratin

Directions

1Preheat the oven to 200°C

2Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the sliced potatoes and pumpkin – you need enough water to cover them. Boil for only a few minutes, checking regularly, until the slices are just softened. Be careful not to overcook them or you will have slush rather than slices!

3Drain in a colander and allow to coll a little while you make the sauce.

4Press the cloves into the peeled onion and put it in a saucepan with the milk and cream. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer than take it off the heat and leave to stand for about 5 minutes to let the flavours develop.

5Remove the onion and cloves and discard.

6Put the milk and cream mix in a heat-proof jug and clean out the saucepan.

7Melt the butter in the pan, add the cornflour and cook until bubbly.

8Add the nutmeg and stir briefly.

9Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the warm milk, stirring throughout to avoid lumps forming.

10Return the sauce to the heat and cook until it thickens and boils.

11Remove from the heat and stir in half the parmesan

12Add salt and pepper to taste

13Put half of the potato/pumpkin mix in the bottom of a greased 2-litre oven dish, and pour over half the cream sauce.

14Add the other half of the vegetables, and pour the remaining sauce over the top.

15Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan

16Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbling and golden.

17Stand for five minutes while you cook the sage leaves.

18Melt the 30 of butter in a small frying pan, and add the leaves. Turn them carefully a few times as they cook – they should go crunchy but not burned! Remove them to paper towels to drain, and then crumble them over the gratin.