A Seasonal Squash Traybake
27 Oct 2020
How heavenly it is to tuck into soups and suppers alike with the autumn squash as the dish’s hero. And how timely it is to feast in this way with Pumpkin’s Eve (as it should really be known) greeting us on 31st October followed warmly by Bonfire Night come 5th November. So let us share with you then a recipe we so very much enjoy to rustle up at this point of the year. A simple one, a hearty one, a dish that can be served as a side to a meaty main or a dish that can be doubled up to deliver a generous serving (though we shall still be serving it with a hunk of warm, crusty bread). We’ll be scooping ours into our Handmade Stoneware Bowls to enjoy around the fireside, for even if Bonfire Night is to be at home this year, celebrate it still we most certainly shall.
2 large squash or pumpkins
2 small red onions
6 garlic cloves
12 fresh sage leaves
Several sprigs of rosemary and thyme
150g gorgonzola
25g flaked almonds
A sprinkle of salt and pepper
200g chestnuts (the cooked and peeled sort)
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
2. First, prep the vegetables. Peel, deseed and chop the squash into chunky slices (roughly 1cm thick) and the red onions into quarters. Then crush the garlic but leave the skins on.
3. Pour over olive oil and the seasoning and mix well before decanting into a roasting tin and placing in the oven for twenty minutes.
4. When the timer pings, add in the sage, rosemary and thyme (three-five sprigs of each should do depending on how herby you’d like it to be) and chestnuts. Then place it back into the oven for a further five minutes.
5. Once the cooking time is over, generously scatter chunks of gorgonzola (you could use brie for something less potent), and then return to the oven for one final time so that the cheese begins to melt – a few minutes will be plenty.
6. In the meantime, lightly toast the almonds in a dry frying pan so that you can liberally distribute those on top before dishing out.
7. We like to serve ours with a crusty baguette and butter, but you could drizzle with truffle oil or top with crispy pancetta should you prefer.