Recipe · 20 October 2018

Stuffed Squash with Olives

Name: Stuffed Squash with Olives
Ingredients: 2 small squashes (pumpkin or spaghetti squash); 2 tbsp + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 can of chickpeas, drained, or 1½ cups cooked chickpeas; 1 red bell pepper, chopped; ½ red onion, chopped; ¼ cup thinly sliced Kalamata olives; 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil and/or parsley, plus a little to garnish; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 1 tbsp lemon juice; ¼ tsp salt; Crumbled white cheese or grated Parmesan (optional); ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or pine nuts; ½ cup fresh basil leaves; ½ cup parsley; 2 tbsp lemon juice; ¼ tsp salt; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Oven-roasted squash filled with a chickpea and olive salad and topped with basil pesto.

Ingredients

For the squash

2 small squashes (pumpkin or spaghetti squash)
2 tbsp + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 can of chickpeas, drained, or 1½ cups cooked chickpeas
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ red onion, chopped
¼ cup thinly sliced Kalamata olives
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil and/or parsley, plus a little to garnish
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
Crumbled white cheese or grated Parmesan (optional)

For the pesto

¼ cup pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
½ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup parsley
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

Heat the oven to 180 °C and line a tray with baking paper. Halve the squashes lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Rub the skins with olive oil and season the insides with salt and pepper. Lay them cut side down on the tray and roast for 40 to 60 minutes, until a fork goes easily into the flesh.
Meanwhile, mix the chickpeas, pepper, onion, olives, basil and/or parsley, garlic, lemon juice, 1 tbsp of the olive oil and the salt. Set aside.
For the pesto, toast the pumpkin seeds (or pine nuts) in a small pan over a medium heat, tip them into a food processor and let them cool. Add the basil, parsley, lemon juice and salt. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil slowly and blend until smooth.
Spoon the chickpea salad into the roasted squash halves, drizzle with pesto and scatter over the cheese if you like.