This is a stunning side dish for a gourmet dinner spread that can easily double as a healthful and ample vegetarian meal, making it extremely convenient if you find yourself with leftovers (but we doubt it). The roast of chickpea mixture with pumpkin and parsnip coated with a range of spices promises a whole host of flavours, even before topping it off with a striking hummus dressing.
Ingredients
- 500 g Japanese pumpkin
- 4 small parsnips (320 g), halved lengthways
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsps ground coriander
- 800 g canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed (use these for the hummus also)
- 200 g sourdough bread, torn into small chunks
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, extra
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, torn
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, torn
HUMMUS DRESSING
- 1 tbsp tahini
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- ¼ cup paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- ¼ (60 ml) cold water
Steps
Preheat oven to 220 C.
Cut unpeeled pumpkin into wedges. Place pumpkin and parsnips in a large bowl with oil and spices; season. Toss to combine. Place vegetables, in a single layer, on two baking paper-lined oven trays; reserve spiced oil in the bowl. Roast vegetables 30 mins, turning once during cooking.
Meanwhile, stir ¾ cup of the chickpeas into reserved spiced oil until coated; reserve.
Make hummus dressing: blend remaining 2 cups chickpeas with dressing ingredients until smooth. Season to taste.
Toss bread on an oven tray with extra oil until evenly coated; season. Cook bread on separate shelf in oven 8 mins, stirring occasionally, or until bread is browned and crisp.
Add reserved chickpea mixture to vegetables; roast further 10 mins or until vegetables are tender. Place vegetables and chickpeas on a serving platter with bread; drizzle with dressing and scatter with herbs.