Butternut Squash and Tahini Spread | Jerusalem

When you think roast butternut squash can’t get any better, take an extra step and pulse it in the food processor. Something magical happens when the roasted squash is combined with tahini. The resulting spread is rich, sweet and flavorful. I can’t stop dipping my finger in it. Serve it with vegetables such as bell pepper, celery or with fruits like apple. Furthermore, bread is always a welcoming option as part of a meze selection. If you can put all the fall colors, warm spices and seasonal flavor in a single bite, the butternut squash and tahini spread is likely to get the most votes.

The sweetness of the spread reminds me of sweet potatoes, but the difference ends there. In fact, butternut squash is a lower carb alternative to sweet potato. Think of this starchy veggie as a cold weather superfood. Meanwhile, sweet potato doubles the amount of calories, carbs and sugar per serving as compared to butternut squash. But sweet potato has more fiber and protein. Nonetheless, both are rich in vitamins, antioxidants and provide an abundance of health benefits.

When you purée the butternut squash and tahini in the food processor, roughly pulse for a few times until everything is combined. Allow it to turn into a coarse paste, without the spread getting too smooth. That’s the texture you want, don’t go beyond that for the desirable mouthfeel.

I have Ottolenghi and Tamimi’s Jerusalem in my cookbook collection for many years. I have to say there is so much more than a few pretty food pictures and recipes from Jerusalem. I left the book open on my desk for a few days. The culinary fantasy and rich flavors pop out of the pages and never fail to capture my imagination. The butternut squash and tahini spread is a good representation of that. There’ll be more to come — stay tuned.

Print Recipe

Butternut squash and tahini spread

Ingredients

• 1 very large butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks (net weight 970g)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp/ 70g tahini paste
• 1/2 cup/ 120g Greek yoghurt
• 2 small garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp mixed black and white sesame seeds (or just white, if you don't have black)
• 1½ tsp date syrup (I substitute with pomegranate syrup)
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander (optional)

Instructions

1

Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Spread the squash out on a medium-sized baking tray, pour over the olive oil and sprinkle on the cinnamon and salt. Mix well, cover the tray tightly with foil and roast for 70 minutes, stirring once during the cooking. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

2

Transfer the cooled squash to the bowl of a food processor, along with the tahini, yoghurt and garlic. Roughly pulse so that everything is combined into a coarse paste – you don't want it too smooth. You can also do this by hand using a fork or masher.

3

To serve, spread the butternut in a wavy pattern over a flat plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds, a drizzle of syrup and finish with chopped coriander, if using.

Notes

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/sep/09/butternut-tahini-spread-batata-recipes