Q Dear Bill,

As a reader of your weekly column, I think I have a challenge for you. We are five (junior and senior) ladies who play bridge and who have run out of great ideas for lunch. Please help me. I would like to surprise the others with something different! I have served hot and cold soups, sandwiches of all varieties and, of course, we "do lunch" whenever we can, quite often at Bills. I don't mind if I have to start the dish the day before. I would like it to be delicious, pleasing to the eye and to arouse the senses! - Sandi

A Dear Sandi,

I have always loved baked pastas for winter meals - warming, bubbling and golden, filling the house with toasty, cheesy aromas. However, I am not a big fan of thick, dominating bechamel sauce, so I set myself a mission to create a baked pasta that is lighter, but no less satisfying. In this pumpkin cannelloni, ricotta is whisked through the bechamel sauce resulting in a fresher taste and an airier, softer texture. While cannelloni can seem fiddly, I use fresh lasagne sheets that don't have to be precooked. I suggest assembling it a day in advance but baking it just before your guests arrive to ensure it stays moist, with the cheese just melted and browned.

A salad to contrast with the richness of the cannelloni is essential. The bitter greens of the season, such as the radicchio used here, complement the subtle sweetness of the pumpkin perfectly. The contrasting greens and purple in the salad also make a very pretty accompaniment.

Try freshly shelled walnuts in the apple and walnut cake for an unbeatable seasonal treat - their flavour is far superior to the shelled variety we usually settle for. This cake is perfect served with a cup of tea, which I imagine you might enjoy while playing cards after lunch. You could whisk through a little ground cinnamon while whipping the cream for a spiced variation that works beautifully with the cake's apples, walnuts and raisins. I hope this menu satisfies the card circle and gives you enough time to concentrate on your game.