Butternut And Halloumi Burgers
by Nigella. Featured in SIMPLY NIGELLAIntroduction
While these are not actually burgers, there is something meaty about a slice of roasted butternut squash that lends itself to this way of eating, and the salty halloumi, welded on by the heat of the oven, is the perfect foil to the squash's densely fleshed sweetness. It's always difficult with squash, just as it is with pumpkin, to tell before cooking whether you have a good, juicy one, or if the flesh is going to be stringy and tasteless. But I have found that sweet Coquina butternut squash seems to be very reliable, plus its long shape, before it bulges into the round seedy bit, is well suited to this recipe. Even if you can't find this particular squash, do choose a butternut that has a long neck, as it is this part that you cut to make the "burgers". The remaining part of the squash can be usefully employed in the Butternut and Pasta Soup for another meal.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
While these are not actually burgers, there is something meaty about a slice of roasted butternut squash that lends itself to this way of eating, and the salty halloumi, welded on by the heat of the oven, is the perfect foil to the squash's densely fleshed sweetness. It's always difficult with squash, just as it is with pumpkin, to tell before cooking whether you have a good, juicy one, or if the flesh is going to be stringy and tasteless. But I have found that sweet Coquina butternut squash seems to be very reliable, plus its long shape, before it bulges into the round seedy bit, is well suited to this recipe. Even if you can't find this particular squash, do choose a butternut that has a long neck, as it is this part that you cut to make the "burgers". The remaining part of the squash can be usefully employed in the Butternut and Pasta Soup for another meal.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Makes: 6–8 burgers, depending on how many discs you can slice from the butternut squash
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 x 15ml tablespoon regular olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 x approx. 225 grams block halloumi cheese
- 4 pitta breads
TO SERVE
- salad leaves of your choice
- 2 large tomatoes (thickly sliced)
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon regular olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 x approx. 8 ounces block halloumi cheese
- 4 pita breads
TO SERVE
- salad leaves of your choice
- 2 large tomatoes (thickly sliced)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400℉/gas mark 6. Slice the long part of the butternut into approximately 1.5cm/½-inch rounds; if it is a uniform size you can get about 6–8 slices before you hit the bulbous, seeded end. Pour the oil onto a large, shallow baking tray and then put the slices of butternut on top. Sprinkle with half of the oregano, then flip the rounds over and sprinkle on the rest.
- Put in the oven to roast for 20–30 minutes, or until tender and browning at the edges. Then cut the block of halloumi cheese in half, to give 2 square-ish pieces, and stand each half upright, to make it easier to cut each into 3 or 4 slices, depending on how many slices of butternut you have. Place a slice on each round of butternut.
- Roast in the oven for another 10 minutes, by which time the cheese should be soft and melting — bearing in mind that halloumi never gets very melty — on top of the butternut.
- While the butternut and halloumi are getting towards the end of their time in the oven, cut the pittas in half crossways and briefly warm them, too, in the oven.
- Open the mouths of the pitta halves slightly in order to load them with some salad leaves and slip a cheese-loaded butternut round into each pitta pocket, top the butternut burger with a thick slice of tomato, and eat straightaway.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400℉/gas mark 6. Slice the long part of the butternut into approximately 1.5cm/½-inch rounds; if it is a uniform size you can get about 6–8 slices before you hit the bulbous, seeded end. Pour the oil onto a large, shallow baking tray and then put the slices of butternut on top. Sprinkle with half of the oregano, then flip the rounds over and sprinkle on the rest.
- Put in the oven to roast for 20–30 minutes, or until tender and browning at the edges. Then cut the block of halloumi cheese in half, to give 2 square-ish pieces, and stand each half upright, to make it easier to cut each into 3 or 4 slices, depending on how many slices of butternut you have. Place a slice on each round of butternut.
- Roast in the oven for another 10 minutes, by which time the cheese should be soft and melting — bearing in mind that halloumi never gets very melty — on top of the butternut.
- While the butternut and halloumi are getting towards the end of their time in the oven, cut the pittas in half crossways and briefly warm them, too, in the oven.
- Open the mouths of the pitta halves slightly in order to load them with some salad leaves and slip a cheese-loaded butternut round into each pitta pocket, top the butternut burger with a thick slice of tomato, and eat straightaway.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead or store.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead or store.
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What 1 Other has said
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Posted by joshv41680 on 23rd July 2022
Show more commentsThese go down so well every time I serve them. I like to make the green tahini sauce as a condiment. It goes so well with the squash!