Hasselback veg take a bit more love and time but are so delicious, as all the oil and flavour gets deep in the vegetable and it crisps up to a lovely texture in the oven. A spiced maple syrup and butter mix is used to coat this squash giving it a lovely sweet caramelised flavour when roasted on a bed of chickpeas and veggies.
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1 butternut pumpkin
1 tbsp butter (plant based)
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 red onion, sliced
300g cherry tomatoes
2 cans of chickpeas, drained
Handful of parsley leaves
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 190C fan.
2. Slice the pumpkin in half vertically and peel off the skin. Place the pumpkin cut side down and score across the curved side, in 3mm cuts, being careful not to slice all the way through.
3. Mix the butter with the garlic and spices in a small bowl and rub all over the pumpkin, getting deep into the cuts.
4. Place the onion, cherry tomato and chickpeas in the base of a roasting dish and lay the pumpkin on top. Season everything well with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
5. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin and veg are soft and caramelised. Finish with the parsley leaves to serve.