PUMPKIN AND GOAT’S CHEESE TART
Serves 4-6
500g pumpkin, peeled and cubed
60ml olive oil
30ml honey
5ml ground cumin
3ml dried chilli flakes
2 red onions, cut into wedges
5ml chopped garlic
salt and pepper
4 sheets of phyllo pastry
60g butter, melted
100g goat’s cheese, crumbled
a few sage leaves, torn
Preheat oven to 180°C. Put cubed pumpkin on a baking tray and drizzle with half the oil. Pour over the honey and the spices and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a pan and fry the onion wedges, over a low heat, for 10 minutes. Add the roasted pumpkin, garlic and seasoning to the onion and fry for 2-3 minutes to amalgamate the flavours.
Grease a loose-bottom quiche dish. Lay one sheet of phyllo on a dry surface, brush with melted butter. Repeat with another 3 sheets of phyllo. Mould the layered sheets into the quiche dish.
Fill with the pumpkin and onion mixture. Dot with goat’s cheese and sage.
Trim the edges of the phyllo and roll up creating a border around the filling. Brush with butter and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
MOROCCAN SPICED PUMPKIN SALAD
Serves 4
800g pumpkin, cut into wedges, seeds reserved
1 large red pepper, quartered and seeded
30ml olive oil
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
5ml ground cinnamon
3ml ground ginger
salt and pepper
15ml harissa paste
rocket, to serve
Sugar and spice pumpkin seeds
reserved pumpkin seeds, washed and dried
15ml butter, melted
30ml sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
2ml nutmeg
2ml allspice
Dressing
125ml plain yoghurt
10ml harissa paste
60ml chopped coriander
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Cut pumpkin into 4cm thick wedges and place, with the red pepper, on a baking tray.
Combine oil, spices, seasoning and harissa paste and brush generously on to the pumpkin and peppers.
Roast for 25 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender and red pepper is slightly charred. Remove and place pepper in a plastic bag. Seal and set aside for 10 minutes. Remove and discard skin from pepper and cut into thick strips.
Place rocket on to a serving dish, followed by pumpkin wedges, red pepper and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with the dressing before serving .
PUMPKIN SEEDS: Toss the seeds with butter, sugar and the spices. Spread the coated seeds on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 160°C for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until crunchy.
DRESSING: Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
COCONUT PUMPKIN CURRY
Serves 4-6
600g pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
60ml oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
5ml turmeric
10ml ground cumin
10ml cumin seeds
5ml coriander seeds
1 stick of cinnamon
2 bay leaves
a pinch of dried chilli flakes
5ml salt
400g tin of coconut milk
5ml lemon juice
125ml chopped coriander
Sprinkle pumpkin chunks with a bit of salt. Heat 15ml oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Brown the pumpkin for a few minutes. Remove and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, about 12-15 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add all the spices to the pan and fry for a few minutes, until fragrant.
Return the pumpkin to the pan and stir to combine with the spices. Add the coconut milk and half the golden onions.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until pumpkin is tender. Stir in the lemon juice and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Add half the coriander.
Serve topped with the remaining onions and chopped coriander.
PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES
Makes 24
500ml flour
5ml baking powder
5ml bicarbonate of soda
5ml ground cinnamon
3ml ground ginger
3ml salt
125g butter
250ml sugar
2 eggs
250ml cooked, mashed pumpkin
5ml vanilla essence
cinnamon and icing sugar for serving
Cream cheese filling
250g cream cheese
100g butter
500ml icing sugar
5ml vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease or line baking trays with baking paper.
Combine flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a medium bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until combined.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Pipe 48 cookies on to prepared baking trays. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool on baking trays for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Spread a teaspoon of filling on to flat side of one cookie, top with flat side of a second cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling.
Serve dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar.
FILLING: Beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Gradually add icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. - The Star