Preheat your oven to 400°F / 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas mark 6

Wash the butternut squash

Carefully half the squash lengthways. You will need a really sharp knife to do this, so do be careful!

Scoop out the seeds and any stringy pulp with a spoon and discard.

Place the squash halves on a baking tray, flesh side up and spray with a little calorie controlled cooking oil.

Sprinkle with sea salt and ground black pepper.

Place in the middle of the preheated oven for 45 - 60 minutes until the flesh of the squash is tender and you can pierce it easily with a fork.

Once cooked remove from the oven.

Any liquid that has formed in the seed cavity should be mopped up with a little bit of paper towel.

Use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh of the squash into a bowl.

Add a little salt and pepper and mash with a fork or a masher until smooth.

Top with a little more pepper if required.