Kolokythosaláta – Pumpkin Dip

 

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Kolokythosaláta – Pumpkin Salad

1 x 350gm pack prepared, butternut squash – or the equivalent flesh from whole squash

Half a teaspoon of dried cumin powder

A pinch of dried chilli flakes

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tab tahini

1 tab lemon juice

Salt

Ground black pepper

Toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

 

Heat the oven to 200 degrees.

Place the pieces of squash on a roasting tray, sprinkle with the dried cumin and chilli flakes and drizzle with olive oil.

Cover with foil, and roast for about 30 minutes, until the squash is soft.

Take it out of the oven, remove the foil and sprinkle over the dried oregano. Allow to cool.

Put the contents of the roasting tray – soft squash and its juices – in a bowl. Add the crushed garlic, tahini and mash together with a fork – adding lemon juice and a little more olive oil as required. The idea is to achieve a fairly smooth but stiff dip – the consistency of, say, hummus.

Add seasoning to taste and sprinkle over the toasted pumpkin seeds.

Serve with warm pitta.

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Pantzarosaláta – Beetroot Salad

400 – 500 gm whole raw beetroot

Olive oil

1 tab lemon juice

1 tab Tahini

1 tab Greek yoghourt

A little orange zest

Het the oven to 200 degrees.

Scrub the beetroot and put into a roasting tin.

Drizzle with a little olive oil, cover with foil and roast for about 30 – 40 minutes.

When tender, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

When the beets are cool enough to handle, carefully slip off the skins.

Put the peeled beets into a food processor with the tahini, yoghourt, lemon juice and and orange zest. Add a tablespoonful of olive oil and blitz. It may need a little more oil to achieve the consistency of something like hummus.

Check for seasoning and serve with pitta.