Recipe

Spinach and Pumpkin gratin

We have another delicious french recipe for you from Sylviane’s country kitchen. It’s a wonderful veggie dish that can be served as a main or a delightful side. you can use pumpkin or any type of squash for this recipe (butternut, etc) and fresh or frozen spinach. And with squash now available in most frozen food sections, it’s a dish you can prepare year-round. Bon appétit!

Ingredients

■ 500g pumpkin or squash cut into approximately one-inch squares ■ 500g spinach ■ 1 egg ■ 1 or 2 tablespoons of thick fresh cream ■ A handful of breadcrumbs (use stale bread and blitz in a blender or crush in a freezer bag) ■ 30g grated parmesan ■ 1 or 2 cloves of garlic according to taste ■ Salt and pepper to season

Directions

Cook the pumpkin/squash either by steaming the chunks, cooking in the oven or frying in a little butter/oil until soft. Mash roughly with a fork. Cook the spinach by steaming or just letting fresh spinach melt in a pan with a little butter. TIP: If using frozen, just let it defrost and don’t bother cooking it as it will cook quickly in the oven.

Add garlic and breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs will absorb the excess moisture you typically get from spinach. Add the beaten egg and cream to the pumpkin mash with a little parmesan. Spread the spinach in an ovenproof dish and cover it with the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle some parmesan over the top and cook in the oven (180°C or Gas 6) for about 25-30 minutes.