Name: Roasted pumpkin with pistachio pesto
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 large butternut pumpkin (1.8kg); 2 cups (firmly packed) basil; 35 gm (½ cup) finely grated parmesan; 2 tbsp nori flakes (see note); 1 garlic clove, crushed; 125 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil; 50 gm (1/3 cup) roasted pistachios

Roasted pumpkin with pistachio pesto

“This pesto is so versatile. It goes incredibly well with raw fish or steak, or a shellfish pasta. Pistachio has that beautiful sweetness and I always love using nori in pesto for a bit of flavour background,” says Wood.

A butternut pumpkin split in half lengthwise, roasted, with large chunks of the flesh served inside the roasted half, topped with pistachio pesto — Photo: Alicia Taylor

Serves 6

Prep

25M

Cook

1H 30M

Total

1H 55M

Ingredients

1 large butternut pumpkin (1.8kg)

2 cups (firmly packed) basil

35 gm (½ cup) finely grated parmesan

2 tbsp nori flakes (see note)

1 garlic clove, crushed

125 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

50 gm (1/3 cup) roasted pistachios

Method

1.Preheat oven to 200˚C. Using a sharp knife, make a couple of incisions, 2-3cm deep at the end of the pumpkin that contains the seeds. Place pumpkin on an oven tray and roast until softened and skin is lightly browned (11/2 hours). Set aside to cool slightly.

2.Meanwhile, for pesto, blend basil, parmesan, nori flakes, garlic and oil in a blender until finely chopped. Add pistachios; pulse briefly until coarsely chopped, then season to taste.

3.Cut pumpkin in half lengthways; discard seeds. Scoop flesh into large chunks in one half, leaving a 1cm border, then scoop from the second half and pile into the first. Place on a platter, season to taste and top with pesto. Serve with extra pesto on the side.