Pumpkin and Ricotta Salad

253

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin – 1 kg
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt as per taste
• Black Pepper – ground
• Garlic Cloves – 3, unpeeled
• Thyme – 6 sprigs
• Rosemary – 2 sprigs
• Ricotta Cheese – 200 gms
• Lemon Juice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190C.
2. Peel and deseed the pumpkin.
3. Cut into 3 cm cubes.
4. Line an oven dish with baking paper and drizzle with oil.
5. Add the pumpkin to the dish and stir or toss until each piece is coated with oil.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the garlic cloves, 3 thyme sprigs and rosemary.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes, until tender, turning pumpkin pieces once or twice.
9. Remove from the oven and tip into a serving bowl, reserving the garlic cloves.
10. Set aside to cool.
11. When pumpkin is cool, crumble ricotta over it.
12. Strip leaves from remaining thyme sprigs and add to the salad.
13. Season with more salt and pepper.
14. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a bowl.
15. Add a generous squeeze of lemon and 2 to 3 tblsp olive oil.
16. Whisk to a creamy dressing, then drizzle it over the salad.