Squash with orzo & roasted garlic & feta sauce
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Squash with orzo & roasted garlic & feta sauce

By Melissa Thompson – Journalist and food writer

Enjoy roasted squash wedges served with orzo and a roasted garlic, lemon and feta sauce. Packed with flavour, it’s a great veggie dinner for two

  • Prep:15 mins
    Cook:1 hrs 15 mins
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 761
  • fat 34g
  • saturates 14g
  • carbs 80g
  • sugars 0g
  • fibre 11g
  • protein 29g
  • salt 2.1g

Ingredients

  • 1 garlic bulb
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium squash (about 800g), peeled, halved and cut into 2-3cm wedges
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 200g orzo
  • 1 large leek, halved lengthways and finely sliced
  • ½ tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped
  • 150ml chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 200g feta
  • 3½ tbsp yogurt
  • ½ lemon, juiced

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Remove the outer layers of the garlic bulb and slice off the root end, being careful to not cut too deep into the cloves. Put on a small sheet of foil, drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle over a pinch of salt. Scrunch to enclose the garlic in the foil and bake for 45 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool still wrapped in the foil.

  2. Meanwhile, toss the squash with 2 tbsp of the oil, the paprika and some seasoning. Tip onto a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 mins, turning halfway, until the squash is tender and has some colour.

  3. For the sauce, combine the feta, yogurt, lemon juice and 4 of the roasted garlic cloves (squeezing the flesh out of the skins) to create a smooth paste. It should be thick but pourable – add up to 2 tbsp water to loosen if needed. Set aside.

  4. Cook the orzo in a pan of salted water over a medium heat for 4-5 mins until it’s cooked but still has bite. Drain, reserving a cupful of the orzo water and cool in a sieve under cold running water.

  5. Cook the leek with 1 tbsp oil and the butter over a medium heat in a large pan, stirring regularly, for 5 mins. Add the preserved lemon and the flesh of 3 roasted garlic cloves, then mash together well. Once the leeks are translucent, tip in the cooked orzo, stock and a splash of the pasta cooking water. Stir for a minute to warm through the orzo. Mix in half of the parsley.

  6. Spoon the orzo and leeks onto plates, top with the squash and drizzle over the feta sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.

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