Roasted pumpkin, roasted onion and toasted peppitas. Already I\’m happy. Then add in some feta and bacon and it gets rounded out to something fuller. I don\’t make this salad often and when I do, I like the pumpkin to be well done (with crispy dark edges), but obviously not mush. Every oven is different so be sure to check it towards the end so it\’s not over or under done.
- 1 butternut pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- half to 1 cup peppitas
- 1 stem of fresh rosemary
- 150g feta
- bacon, diced
- fresh parsley
- 1 red onion
- optional: 1 can ready chickpeas
- optional: snowpeas or green beans, tailed – or omit and use just a little rocket if you prefer
- dressing: not much needed but could add extra olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper
- Preheat the oven to 180C and line tray with quilon-free paper.
- Mix pumpkin with onion, olive oil, rosemary and salt. Roast for 45 minutes. Check early as don\’t want them mushy. Alternatively, try the air fryer (maybe 20 minutes at 200C?)
- Toast the peppitas on the stovetop. I prefer a cast iron skillet for this.
- Fry the bacon (and onion if you forgot to add it to the oven tray).
- Boil the kettle and blanch the snowpeas or green beans. Dunk them in cold water after their colour changes to a darker green, then drain.
- Roughly chop the feta and parsley.
- Mix all ingredients together.