This is such an easy recipe if you have the pre-cooked pumpkin, which I often have. My latest method of cooking pumpkin is to wash the pumpkin well, poke a few holes in it and pop it in the oven at 180°C for an hour and then turn off the oven and allow it to cool. It can then be chopped into slices and used in soup or roasted at a high temperature for caramelisation for a vegetable side, made into fritters or made into a pumpkin hummus.
This is the Pumpkin Hummus and it makes a large amount, but it does last quite well in the fridge for a few days.
PUMPKIN HUMMUS
Ingredients
- 1 tin (450g) of chickpeas, drained with the liquid reserved
- The cooked flesh from about 1/2 a small Kent (or Jap) pumpkin
- Juice of 1 lemon or lime
- 3 tbs Tahini
- 1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tbs smoked Paprika
- 1 tbs Ras El Hanout
- 1 tsp salt (can use Seasoned salt)
- Good grind of Black Pepper
- Drizzle of EVO for finishing
- Bagel seasoning or toasted seeds or crushed black lime for topping
- Chunks of toasted bread for dipping
Method
- So simple – add everything to the bowl of a food processor, hold half the lemon and salt to adjust later.
- Blend the mix until smooth, adding some of the reserved liquid from the chick peas if necessary.
- Taste and adjust the lemon and salt.
- Spread the mix into a large, flat dish with raised sided, smooth the top then swirl lines into the top. Pour some olive oil into the grooves from the swirl then sprinkle with Bagel Seasoning Mix or toasted mixed seed. Some finely chopped dried black line goes well on the top as well.
- Serve with a pile of freshly toasted small rolls or biscuits.
