Description
This elegant, but easy to execute Ginger Butternut Squash Bread is a beautiful, delicious, and lighter appetizer. Butternut squash can be prepped in advance to make assembly a breeze.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 head fresh garlic
- olive oil
- 1 can cannellini beans, (drained & rinsed)
- 3/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 -1 tsp ground ginger ((to taste preference))
- 1 bunch fresh sage leaves, (leaves removed from stems)
- 2 cups high temperature vegetable oil
- 1 baguette, (sliced in rounds)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup store bought balsamic vinegar reduction
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut off the top of the butternut squash. Set flat top down on cutting board and carefully slice squash in half, longways. Scoop out seeds and discard.
- Place squash, cut side down, in a 9 x 13 pan and add ½ cup water. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until very tender and fork easily pierces flesh in all areas.
- Slice the tips off the garlic head to expose all the cloves. Set garlic head in a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap up the foil like a packet, enclosing the garlic and oil so it cannot spill out. Set aluminum packet on a rack in the preheated oven and let bake for the remainder of the time for the butternut squash, at least 25 minutes.
- When squash is done, remove it and the garlic from the oven and allow to cool to the point of being able to touch it without burning. Scoop out the flesh from the squash using a spoon and use in the next step.
- In a food processor or high powered blended, puree 1 ½ cups of cooked butternut squash flesh, 1 cup of cannellini beans, 4 cloves of roasted garlic, ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt, and ½ - 1 teaspoon of ground ginger (add more ginger to preference) until very smooth. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a small rimmed skillet to medium high heat. Also, preheat broiler with oven rack about 10” from top and place bread rounds on a baking sheet.
- When oil is hot and shimmering, fry each sage leaf for about 2 seconds. Remove and lay on a paper towel to cool. Leaves should be crispy.
- Broil bread for 1 minute per side or until golden brown and crispy.
- Assemble crostini by generously smearing butternut squash puree on top of toasted bread. Sprinkle a pinch of crumbled feta on top then drizzle with balsamic reduction. Lastly, place about 4-6 pomegranate arils on each crostini and place a fried sage leaf on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
Butternut squash puree can be made in advance, about 1 day ahead of time. You can also make your own balsamic reduction if you prefer.
Butternut squash puree can be served alone as a dip. If doing this, top with the feta, balsamic drizzle, pomegranate arils and fried sage leaves and serve with toasted bread, pita chips or fresh vegetables.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Vegetarian