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Roast Pumpkin, Mozzarella & Buckwheat with Crispy Sage Garlic Dressing

I’m a firm believer that vegetables are just as worthy of being the main dish – especially when you’ve got thick wedges of pumpkin, roasted with Aleppo pepper until soft and caramelised, then placed on a bed of perfectly tender buckwheat that’s adorned with torn buffalo mozzarella and topped with a hot buttery hazelnut, garlic and crispy sage dressing. This warm salad covers all textural contexts and makes for a great table centrepiece at your next dinner party or meat-free meal.

Lunch

Dinner

A Little Longer

Serves 4-6

Prep Time 5 Mins

Cook Time 55 Mins

Ingredients

Method

1.2kg (about half a medium) jap pumpkin with its seeds, cut into 3cm thick wedges
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 cup buckwheat, rinsed
1 cup water
1 vegetable stock cube
⅓ cup hazelnuts
30g unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, finely sliced
6 sage leaves
100g buffalo mozzarella, drained
Salt
Pepper

Method

1
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Place the pumpkin onto the tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper and season well with salt and pepper. Toss, ensuring everything is coated, then transfer into the oven to roast for approximately 40 minutes or until the flesh is soft and caramelised on both sides. Set aside.
2
Place the buckwheat, water, stock cube, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a good pinch of salt in a medium saucepan for which has a lid. Bring the heat up until boiling, then cover and turn down to a low simmer for approximately 14 minutes or until all the water has absorbed and the grains are tender. Let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
3
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a food processor and blitz until you form a crumb. Set aside.
4
Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan over a medium/high heat. Once bubbling, add the butter, garlic, sage and remaining Aleppo pepper. Fry until the sage is crispy and the garlic turns a deep golden brown, being careful not to burn it. Remove the sage and set aside. Pour the oil mixture into a mortar and pestle. Add the hazelnut crumb and mix until combine. Set aside.
5
Spoon the buckwheat over a round serving platter. Place the wedges of pumpkin on top, followed by some pieces of torn mozzarella. Finish with the crunchy hazelnut dressing and the crispy sage pieces.