Recipe of the day: Meatless pumpkin, silverbeet and mushroom bake

Who does not love a warm, creamy and cheesy bake as a side dish for supper to accompany their meal?

This pumpkin, silverbeet and mushroom bake is extremely easy to make and is also the perfect dish to enjoy if you or your loved ones are vegetarian or are just not in the mood to indulge in meat for supper.

Pumpkin, silverbeet and mushroom bake

Ingredients

• 800g peeled butternut pumpkin, cut into 5mm-thick slices
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500g mushrooms, wiped clean, sliced
• 1 bunch silverbeet, leaves trimmed, chopped
• 400g reduced-fat fresh ricotta
• 1 egg
• 80ml (1/3 cup) reduced-fat milk
• 40g (1/2 cup) finely grated parmesan (or vegetarian hard cheese)
• 125g cherry tomatoes, halved
• Salad greens, to serve (optional)

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 2L ovenproof dish with olive oil. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin on prepared tray. Spray lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with chili. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until golden and tender.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Add silverbeet. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until wilted. Season. Set aside to cool. Drain excess liquid.
• Combine the ricotta, egg, milk and half the parmesan in a bowl. Season. Layer one-third of the pumpkin slices in the prepared dish. Top with half the mushroom mixture. Spread with one-third of the ricotta mixture. Repeat. Top with remaining pumpkin. Spread with the remaining ricotta mixture. Press tomato, cut-side up, into the ricotta. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Set aside for 5 minutes. Serve with greens, if using.

This recipe was found on taste.com.au