Za’atar Roasted Squash with Spiced Yogurt Sauce
This recipe was adapted from the cookbook Persiana, by Sabrina Ghayour
This is a delicious vegetarian dish, which can be served on its own or alongside meat, fish or grilled cheese. You can make it as spicy as you like with the addition of pickled chillis, or chilli flakes.
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 3 tbsp of za’atar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt flakes (to taste)
For the Spiced Yoghurt Sauce:
- 1 large butternut squash
- 200g Greek yogurt
- 1 bunch of mint
- 2 tsp sumac
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- Sea salt flakes (to taste)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas mark 9. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.
- Cut the squash in half (easier to start horizontally at the point of the bulge), then half again, and once more, till you end up with 8 pieces. Peel the pieces and cut them again if you wish.
- Mix the za’atar and the olive oil to make a paste. Cover all the squash pieces with this paste and place them on the baking tray. Sprinkle them with the sea salt flakes, and then roast them for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.
- While the squash is roasting, make the yogurt sauce by mixing the yogurt, fresh mint, sumac, coriander, olive oil, lemon rind and juice, sea salt flakes and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Once the squash is roasted, take it out and place on a serving dish. Spoon over the yogurt sauce. Finally sprinkle over the flat parsley (roughly chopped), nigella seeds and pickled chillis.
- This dish can be served alongside almost anything, including meat, fish and grilled haloumi.
