Even if it’s not warm enough to eat outside every evening, we still cook as much as possible on the BBQ. Meat and vegetables cooked on the barbie are brilliant and I love to serve some killer sides that are easy to prep beforehand. This roasted butternut squash dish delivers lots of flavour, is great served just warm with sausages, lamb or pork and is very popular with everyone. The orzo pasta makes a nice change from rice or cous cous and turns the squash into a substantial dish. Forgive any typos please, I’m writing this up whilst watching a very tense Wimbledon match – go Federer!
- A large butternut squash
- 1/4 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- A generous pinch of ground mace
- 25gm butter
- 2 tablespoons of light olive oil
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling at the end
- A handful of finely chopped fresh mint leaves
- A handful of toasted pumpkin seeds
- 100gm feta cheese
- 50gm orzo pasta
To make…
- Preheat the oven to 200C
- Add the oil and butter, the chilli flakes, mace, fennel and cumin seeds to a large oven proof roasting dish.
- Place the dish in the oven as it’s warming up so as to melt the butter and oil together.
- Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds and cut into large chunks.
- When the butter and oil is melted, add in the chunks of butternut squash and gently coat them thoroughly with the spice and oil mixture.
- When the oven has come to temperature. roast the squash for about 40 minutes until it is cooked through. Raise the temperature to about 220C for the final 20 minutes or so to get the squash caramelised with little browned edges.
- When it’s ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Cook the orzo according to the instructions on the packet – it takes about 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly when cooked and spoon into the squash mixture coasting it thoroughly with the oil and butter in the dish.
- To finish, crumbled over the feta, sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds over the top and finish with the freshly chopped mint and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
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