Pumpkin Whipped Feta with Salty Candied Pepitas
- Yield: Serves 4, easily multiplied 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 8-ounce block of feta cheese
- 1/4 cup plus 2 scant tablespoons unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons + 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- Salt to taste (optional, feta is quite salty)
- 1/2 cup salted, roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 TBSP pomegranate arils/seeds, for sprinkling
- Crackers or crostini, for serving
Instructions
- Put the feta, pumpkin puree (scant = just shy of), the 2 teaspoons of the maple syrup, the cinnamon, and cumin in a food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust as you like. Sometimes I add a pinch of salt, but feta is salty – so be careful there. A little extra maple syrup might also be a nice thing. Up to you! Transfer to a serving bowl/plate.
- Put the pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sesame seeds in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Toast, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup and a little salt to taste if your seeds weren’t already salted). Let everything simmer and “candy.” The maple syrup will get sticky, evaporating somewhat and coating the seeds. Cook for 6 to 8 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the mixture cool.
- Break the candied seeds up, dismantling any big clumps, and pile onto the feta mixture (if you don’t break them up, they will be harder to scoop). Sprinkle with pomegranate arils and drizzle with a little olive oil. Garnish with chopped parsley, if you like, and serve with any vehicle that strikes your fancy. Crostini! Crackers! Whatever you like.
Notes
Poppyseeds are also a welcome addition to this seedy party, if you happen to have some just lying around. A couple teaspoons does the trick.Â
Keywords: Pumpkin Whipped Feta