Conchiglie Pasta with Pumpkin and Mozzarella Butter

Conchiglie means 'shell' or 'seashell' and this shell shaped is wonderful to use with rich, creamy sauces or to fill and bake in your favourite sauce. This recipe which includes pumpkin and mozzarella is a new and slightly unusual way of using one of Italy's favourite cheeses.

Serves 2

Ingredients
600g butternut squash
1 ball buffalo mozzarella
1 small bunch sage
1 clove garlic
200g conchiglie pasta
1 lemon
50g grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons olive oil
20g butter
salt and pepper

Method
Preheat an oven to 200˚C. Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds and cut into 2 cm cubes. Place in a roasting dish with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes.

Finely chop the garlic cove and pick the sage leaves. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and ensure the butter is at room temperature. Grate the zest from the lemon. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil.

Heat a small pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and fry the garlic and sage leaves for 2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Keep a few sage leaves back to finish the dish off and place the garlic, remaining sage, butter, mozzarella, lemon zest and juice in a jug or food processor and blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta for about 9 minutes. Keep a cup of the pasta cooking liquid and drain off the pasta, returning it to the pan. Mix the mozzarella butter through the pasta along with the pumpkin and half the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and add some of the pasta cooking water if necessary.

Divide the pasta between 2 plates. Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and sage leaves. Serve straight away.

 

Nederlands

voor 2 personen

Ingrediënten
600gr flespompoen
1 bol buffel mozzarella
1 klein bosje salie
1 teentje knoflook
200gr conchiglie
1 citroen
50gr geraspte Parmezaan
3 eetlepels olijfolie
30 gr boter
zout en peper

Bereiding
Verwarm een oven voor op 200˚C. Schil de flespompoen, verwijder de zaadjes en snijd 1 blokjes van 2 cm. Doe ze in een ovenschaal met 2 eetlepels olijfolie, zout en peper en rooster ongeveer 25 minuten.

Snijd de knoflook fijn en pluk de salieblaadjes. Snijd de mozzarella in kleine stukjes en zorg dat de boter op kamertemperatuur is. Rasp de schil van de citroen. Breng een pan met water en zout aan de kook.

Verwarm een pannetje op medium vuur met 1 eetlepel olijfolie en bak de knoflook en salieblaadjes 2 minuten. Laat even afkoelen. Bewaar een paar salie blaadjes en doe knoflook, resterende salie, boter, mozzarella, citroenrasp en sap naar smaak in een beker of keukenmachine en blend. Breng op smaak met zout en peper. Doe in een kom en zet in de koeling.

Kook de pasta ongeveer 8 minuten in de gezouten water. Bewaar 1 kopje van de kookvocht en giet af. Doe de pasta terug in de pan. Meng de mozzarellaboter door de pasta met de pompoen en de helft van de Parmezaan. Breng op smaak met zout en peper en voeg wat van het kookvocht toe, indien nodig.

Verdeel de pasta over 2 borden. Bestrooi met de resterende Parmezaan en salieblaadjes en serveer.


Roasted Pumpkin and Harissa Hummus

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
5-6 tbsp tahini paste
1-2 tbsp harissa (we buy ours fresh from the Noordermarkt)
2 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
olive oil and smoked paprika, to finish
crisp breads, crackers and fresh vegetables, to serve

Method
Preheat oven to 200C. Place the butternut and garlic cloves on an oven tray. Season well with salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss the ingredients well together and roast for about 45 minutes or until the butternut is really tender. Leave to cool.

Place the butternut into a Magimix (food processor) with any juices from the tin. Add the garlic cloves, squeezed out of their skins. Add the remaining ingredients, season with salt and blend to a paste. Add a little extra olive oil if needed.

Scrape the hummus into a bowl. Drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika. Serve with crostini, crisp breads, crackers and an assortiment of crudités (raw vegetables).

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours


Curry-Roasted Pumpkin and Feta Salad with Pesto

Serves 4 

Ingredients
2 kg butternut squash
100 g feta
60 ml pesto (homemade or bought)
1 bag rocket
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 210° C. Peel the pumpkin with a vegetable peeler and cut lengthways in half. Remove the seeds and chop into 3 cm cubes.

Transfer the pumpkin to a roasting dish, sprinkle with olive oil, curry powder, salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes in the oven or until the pumpkin is soft but still holding its shape. Allow to cool off slightly.

Crumble the feta and dress the rocket with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Lay the roasted pumpkin on a serving platter. Scatter over the crumbled feta and drizzle with the pesto. Top with the rocket and serve.

Also delicious as a side dish served with roast chicken.

We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours