Bring the best of autumn to your table with this Carob Roasted Pumpkin with Goat Cheese. A cosy Mediterranean side dish with a delightful blend of textures and flavours.
Autumn is right here so pumpkins are now everywhere! Let’s make good use of them and enjoy them in their best essence. Roasting pumpkins brings out their natural sweetness further, thus they go well with other sweet noted ingredients such as syrups and nutty spices. For this reason, the rich, deep notes of carob syrup pairs beautifully with the sweet nutty Hokkaido pumpkin, or any other pumpkin. Adding goat cheese, with its tangy flavour and creamy texture continues to build on the different textures and balancing the flavours all together. This side dish, is extremely simple yet bursting with flavour! It’s the ideal side for a cosy dinner or a festive gathering.
What is Carob Syrup?
Carob syrup is a thick, dark and sweet liquid, with no added sugar, that you get from the pods of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua). These large carob trees are native to the Mediterranean region.
In Malta, the ‘siġra tal-ħarruba’ is one of the oldest trees found on the island. Although, in recent years the number of trees around the island have drastically diminished. Carob syrup is the main product we get from carob trees in Malta, mainly considered one of the best at home natural remedies for sore throats or colds. Maltese say that diluting a spoonful of carob syrup in warm water helps the body heal. Although, not as commonly used in cooking such as in Greece or Cyprus, nowadays new age cooks are using it more in their cooking. Other Maltese products made from carob trees include the well-known Ħarruba liqueur and the ‘karamelli’ (traditional candies made from carob and sugar). These candies are particularly popular during Lent.
During the summer months in the Mediterranean, the carob trees are full of green pods. By the end of summer, farmers harvest the ripened carob pods just before the first rain. Afterward, they dry the pods and boil them to extract the natural sugars. Finally, they reduce the liquid into a thick, dark brown syrup. It’s very similar to molasses! The syrup is extremely rich in flavour, easily compared to caramel or even chocolate. Many consider carob a healthy alternative to chocolate; with a same flavour profile but sweeter and less fat, so relatively healthier. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines commonly use carob syrup as a natual sweetner. Either simply just drizzled or incorporated in desserts, or else, mixed into meat marinades for savoury dishes.
How to make this Carob Roasted Pumpkin with Goat Cheese
Using Hokkaido pumpkins helps you cut preparation time, as the skin of this kind of pumpkin is thin and edible. Thus there is no point in peeling it. Therefore, simply remove the sides and cut into equal sized wedges. You can either cut them thin or leave them slightly chunkier; you do you! However, please note that the thickness of the wedges will determine their cooking time. Thicker wedges will need more time in the oven to cook through.
In a bowl, toss the pumpkin wedges in the carob syrup, olive oil, cinnamon, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Evenly distribute the wedges over a lined baking sheet with parchment paper. It’s ok if the wedges slightly touch each other, however they shouldn’t rest on top of each other as this will limit their caramelisation. Once they are nice and golden, plate the roasted wedges on a serving plate. Top the pumpkin with chunks of goat cheese and fresh herbs. Drizzle more carob syrup and finish with a sprinkle of chili flakes!
How to serve this roasted pumpkin
Having this carob roasted pumpkin on your list, will give you endless possibilities of how to serve it! I like to serve it as a side to my meat such as chicken, turkey, lamb or pork during the festive season. Alternatively serve it with other roasted vegetables in a grain salad. If you want, you can also serve it with a tahini sauce drizzled over or on the side! Carob and tahini make a perfect match.
FAQs
Can I prepare this dish in advance?
Definitely! This dish is perfect to prepare in advance, as it can be enjoyed either warm or cold. Simply store the roasted pumpkin in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to eat, you can simply heat it up for a few minutes. I suggest that after re-heating the pumpkin, you drizzle some carob syrup!
Can this recipe be made vegan?
The carob roasted pumpkin is already vegan in itself! However, in this recipe I have added goat cheese as a topping with this dish. For a vegan pumpkin side dish, simply omit the goat cheese or else use another vegan cheese.
I don’t find Hokkaido Pumpkin, can I use another kind?
For this recipe, I like to use a Hokkaido pumpkin as it has a thin skin which is edible, thus reduces the time for cleaning and preparation. However, for this recipe any kind of pumpkin can be used. The only main difference is that the pumpkin needs to be peeled.
What can I use instead of Carob Syrup?
Carob syrup might not be easily accessible everywhere. If you want to substitute it, simply swap the syrup mentioned in the recipe with any of the following substitutes and you will get a similar result: date syrup, molasses (like pomegranate), maple syrup, honey or agave syrup. However keep in mind that although any of these sweeteners will work well with pumpkins, these still have a different flavour profile.
Carob Roasted Pumpkin with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 small hokkaido pumpkin around 500/700g
- 2 tbsp carob syrup + extra for drizzling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 80 g goat cheese
- fresh herbs oregano, thyme or roseamary
Instructions
- Clean the pumpkin from the seeds and cut into wedges, around 10/12 pieces. If using hokkaido pumpkin, you can leave the skin on as it’s thin and edible. Peel the skin if using any other type of pumpkin.
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Toss the pumpkin wedges with olive oil, carob syrup, cinnamon, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes until tender. Keep a close eye, as thinner wedges might cook quicker than mentioned.
- Once ready, plate the wedges on a serving plate. Top with chunks of goat cheese and fresh herbs. Drizzle with more carob syrup and sprinkle some chili flakes.
If you have any questions, feedback or comments on this recipe, please leave a comment below. Please also rate this recipe by double clicking on the stars below. If you did make this recipe, tag @apronandwhisk and hashtag #apronandwhisk, as I’m curious to see what you create! Don’t forget to subscribe to the mailing list down below so to receive the recipe updates straight to your
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