entrees

As I flipped through the pages of Cook Express, inspiration revealed itself from in between the pages of pizzas, quesedillas and crepes, all the way to the variety of barbecue recipes (If you've ever seen this book, you'd understand because it's 500+ pages!) 


I landed on page 453: piadina with roasted pumpkin, sprigs of arugula, complimented by a dill ricotta spread. I substituted butternut squash for the pumpkin, just 'cause it was hard to find pumpkin at this time of year. 


Sure, this was a ton of work because the dough didn't just make itself - but the time was definitely well worth it. What's better than experiencing that healthy homemade culinary creation? 
  

So, here's what you need
(serves 6-8)


for the dough:
2 x 7g packs of active dry yeast
2 cups of warm water
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (I used wholewheat instead)
2 tbs olive oil, and some extra for brushing


To make the dough, combine the warm water with the yeast and salt in a bowl and stir until dissolved. In a large bowl, add the flour, making a well in the middle. Add the yeast mixture and oil. Mix well. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes, until it's smooth and stretchy. Round it up into a ball in a clean, well oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Leave in a warm place to double in size, about 1 hour. 


for the piadina filling:
1 kg of butternut squash, cubed
1/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 fresh sage leaves, finely sliced
500g ricotta cheese
2 tbs onion
3 sprigs fresh dill, finely chopped
2 handfuls arugula
sea salt and black pepper to taste


Preheat the oven to 200°C. On a baking tray lined with parchment paper, toss the butternut in some olive oil with garlic and sage. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 40 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the spread.


Combine ricotta, dill, onion and sea salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat up the barbecue or grill until hot. Roll dough into thick sausage shape and cut into 8 portions. Roll into oval shapes and flatten with palm, into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Brush both sides  with oil  and grill for 1-2 minutes on each side. 
As the piadina comes off the grill, spread ricotta mix over the top. Place butternut and arugula on one side and fold the other half over. 


Serve and enjoy immediately!