Roasted Pumpkin on Toast with Feta
This simple, elegant Greek bruschetta is best made with Greek balsamic. It's a great dish for company and a lovely snack. To find some of the artisinal Greek products you'll need to make this, visit my online shop here, where you'll discover a host of lovingly curated Greek ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed fresh pumpkin, calabasa or butternut squash (the pumpkin or squash should be peeled, seeded and cut into ¾-inch/2 cm cubes)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 small knob of ginger about an inch / 2.5 cm wide, peeled and chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons Greek balsamic vinegar
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin Greek olive oil
- 1 ½ cups crumbled Greek feta
- Dash of cayenne
- Grated zest of half a lemon
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh leaves only, chopped
- 6 slices of good country bread preferably sourdough
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375F/180C.
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Toss the pumpkin cubes, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, orange juice, balsamic and 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil together in a mixing bowl and place in a shallow pan large enough to hold the cubes on one layer. Cover and roast for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until the cubes are fork tender. Remove and keep warm, covered.
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While to pumpkin is roasting, place the feta, 2 tablespoons olive oil, grated lemon zest and juice, cayenne and oregano in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes a creamy spread.
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Brush the remaining olive oil on the bread slices. Bake until golden, turning once, about 5 – 6 minutes. Alternatively, you can turn on the broiler as soon as the pumpkin cubes are done and broil the bread slices on both sides.
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Cool down the bread a little and spread the feta mixture evenly over the the slices. Top with pumpkin cubes. Garnish with a drizzling of balsamic and, if desired, with fresh or dried oregano, cayenne, black pepper, lemon zest and/or a drizzling of olive oil or serve as is.
