Servings: 4
Preheat: 475
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Source: Jerusalem – A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
The flavors here are incredible–the earthy tahini is a perfect match to the sweet squash and onion, while the za’atar adds a pop of sharp, herby pungency and the pine nuts offer richness and a bit of textural contrast.
Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash (2 1/4 lb /1.1 kg in total), cut into 3/4 by 2 1/2-inch/2 cm by 6 cm wedges
2 red onions, cut into 1 1/4-inch/3 cm wedges
3 1/2 tablespoons/50 ml olive oil
3 1/2 tablespoons light tahini paste
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 small clove garlic, crushed
3 1/2 tablespoons/30 g pine nuts
1 tablespoon za’atar
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475°F / 240°C. Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
2. To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary
3. Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.
4. To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za’atar and parsley.