One of my roommates recently picked up the Jerusalem cookbook. It’s always been one of my favorites to peruse, along with Ottolenghi’s other book, Plenty.
The first Ottolenghi recipe I ever made was essentially the non-pureed form of this one. It was a baked butternut and roasted red onion dish, one I continue to make often and that introduced me to the heavenly combination of creamy tahini and nutty squash.
Here, that duo is comes together again, topped with an intriguing addition – date syrup, or molasses as a sub.
This dip is so richly flavorful, you could easily eat it by the spoonful. But it’s even better smeared across crusty bread. Next time, I might add a pinch of cayenne for some heat, and possibly even a bit of lime or balsamic to brighten it up. Either way, it’s going on the repeat list.
Jerusalem’s Butternut Squash and Tahini Spread
- February 2, 2015
- Serves 6
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Ingredients
- 1 lg. butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 5 Tbsp. light tahini paste
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 small garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp. black and white sesame seeds (or just white)
- 1 1/2 tsp. date syrup or molasses (I used molasses)
- 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, optional
- Salt
Directions
- Step 1
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Step 2
- Spread squash out in a medium roasting pan. Pour over the olive oil and sprinkle on the cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. salt. Mix together well, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and roast in the oven for 70 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Step 3
- Transfer squash to a food processor, along with the tahini, yogurt, and garlic. Roughly pulse so that everything is combined into a coarse paste, without the spread becoming smooth. Stir in cilantro.
- Step 4
- Spread the butternut onto a plate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and drizzle the date syrup/molasses on top. Serve with bread.
- Step 5
