Name: Pumpkin, herbed ricotta and hazelnut bruschetta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 750 gm butternut pumpkin, cut into 1cm chunks (about ½); 3 tsp brown sugar; 2 tbsp olive oil; 8 thick slices rye sourdough bread; 2 garlic cloves, halved for rubbing; Baby rocket, roasted hazelnuts and vincotto, to serve; Herbed ricotta; 200 gm firm ricotta; 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley; 2 tsp finely chopped sage; 2 tsp finely chopped thyme; 1 garlic clove, finely grated

Pumpkin, herbed ricotta and hazelnut bruschetta

A modern take on the classic Italian dish.

Serves 4

Prep

Cook

20M

Total

25M

Sweet, sour, crunchy, peppery, creamy and fresh – this winter twist on the classic bruschetta makes an ideal light dinner. For a variation, swap the bread for pasta and the vincotto for parmesan.

Ingredients

750 gm butternut pumpkin, cut into 1cm chunks (about ½)

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

8 thick slices rye sourdough bread

2 garlic cloves, halved for rubbing

Baby rocket, roasted hazelnuts and vincotto, to serve

Herbed ricotta

200 gm firm ricotta

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

2 tsp finely chopped sage

2 tsp finely chopped thyme

1 garlic clove, finely grated

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 220C. Combine pumpkin, sugar and oil in a roasting pan, season to taste, toss to coat and roast until golden brown and caramelised at the edges (15-20 minutes).

2.For herb ricotta, mix ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.

3.Preheat grill to high and toast bread (1-2 minutes each side). Rub toast with cut sides of garlic, then top with herbed ricotta, roasted pumpkin, rocket and hazelnuts, drizzle with vincotto and serve.

Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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Styling by Emma Knowles