Roast pumpkin and chilli cornbread slice
serves
8
Prep Time
15mins
Cook Time
45mins
Difficulty
Easy
Food Editor Charlotte Bins-MacDonald creates the ultimate vegetarian slice. Perfect packed for a beach picnic over the warmer months.
Ingredients
- 350g peeled butternut pumpkin, cut into 5mm-thick slices
- 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
- 200g polenta
- 1 1/3 cups (200g) cornflour
- 11/2 tbs maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 cup (150g) pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 60g unsalted butter, melted
- 350ml buttermilk
- 1 egg
- Watercress sprigs, to serve
- Micro cress, to serve
Method
1.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. Also grease and line a 20cm x 30cm slice pan with baking paper, leaving 5cm overhanging the long sides of pan.
2.
Divide pumpkin between prepared baking trays and drizzle with oil. Roast for 15 minutes or until tender.
3.
Place the polenta, corn flour, maple syrup, baking powder, chilli, 1/2 cup (75g) pepitas and 1 tsp salt flakes in a bowl. Stir to combine well.
4.
In a separate bowl, whisk the butter, buttermilk and egg until combined. Pour into the polenta mixture and fold to combine.
5.
Transfer half the polenta mixture into prepared slice pan, then gently place pumpkin in an even layer across the top.
6.
Top with the remaining polenta mixture and scatter with the remaining 1/2 cup (75g) pepitas. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7.
Cool slightly, then turn out onto a wire rack.
8.
Serve slice warm or cold with watercress sprigs and micro cress.