Original recipe of the week: Butternut squash, apple and pecan gratin

When it comes to holding dinner parties, it is very easy to decide what you want to cook for the main course, be it fish or meat. However, it’s often quite hard to decide on sides.

Sides don’t always have to be potato based – often we fall into the trap of mashed potato, roast potato or potato gratin. With our delicious butternut squash recipe, you won’t have to use your fail-safe gratin recipe anymore, which is often laden with cream and cheese, and helpful in making sure we’re piling on the pounds. Fresh, tasty and very easy to make, this side will also give you more time to focus on the most important dish of the day – dessert!

Butternut squash, apple and pecan gratin

Serves: 3-4
Cook time: 45 mins

What you will need:
1 small butternut squash – cubed
3 cooking apples – de-skinned and cubed
80g pecan nuts
50g grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic – crushed
2 small red onions – chopped
3 sprigs of thyme – chopped
3 sprigs of rosemary – chopped
3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste 

What you need to do: 

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Place a large saucepan on the hob and boil the butternut squash for 10 mins, then add the apple and boil for a further 5 mins.
3. While this is boiling, fry the garlic, onion and herbs together with a little oil in a small frying pan until caramelised and set aside.
4. When soft to the fork, remove the butternut squash and apple from the heat, and place in a large mixing bowl.
5. Into the bowl add the onion mix, yoghurt, salt, pepper, pecans, egg and half of the Parmesan, and give a good mix, but be careful not to break up the butternut squash and apple.
6. Spoon the mix into a baking dish and top with the rest of the Parmesan.
7. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20-25 mins or until golden and bubbling.

Bethany Stone