Asparagus, pumpkin and feta pizza with rocket pesto

Tamara West

This pizza uses mashed pumpkin on the base instead of tomato sauce. It is really yummy and makes a great vegetarian meal. You can use a good quality store-bought pesto to fast-track this recipe, or make up your own with whatever herbs you have handy

Ingredients

500 g	Pumpkin, peeled and chopped
1	Turkish bread, large, or Lebanese flat bread, pizza base or pita bread
½ cup	Sundried tomatoes, chopped (optional)
1 ½ bunches	Asparagus, trimmed (Main)
150 g	Feta, soft, goat's or cow
1 cup	Mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded
½ cup	Pesto, store-bought herb one or homemade rocket and mint (see below)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C.
2. Cook pumpkin in boiling salted water until soft, 10-15 minutes. Drain well and mash with a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or knob of butter, a splash of milk, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Spread mashed pumpkin over pizza bases, dividing equally. Scatter over sundried tomatoes (if using), arrange asparagus spears on top, crumble over feta and sprinkle over mozzarella. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes until bases are crisp and mozzarella is melted.
4. Dollop rocket and mint pesto (see recipe below) over pizzas, cut into portions and serve.

Rocket mint and caper pesto

Blend 100g baby or wild rocket, 1 heaped Tbsp capers,1 cup mint leaves (or other herbs, e.g. basil or parsley), 1 clove garlic, 1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar (or other vinegar, e.g. white wine), juice of ½ lemon and ¼ cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil together in a food processor until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you don’t want to make your own pesto, a good quality store-bought herb pesto will work just as well.