It is finally fall and despite the fact that temperatures are still soaring in the late 30s early 40s C here in the UAE, we started seeing a few clouds in the sky especially in the early morning ,and we’ve woken up to a world shrouded by fog 3 times this week.

If there is one vegetable that says fall, it has to be pumpkin and I am sure your feed and pinterest boards are over flowing with pumpkin recipes but have you tried pumpkin with a middle eastern twist?
Previously I have shared pumpkin and lentils in tomato sauce (a traditional Palestinian vegetarian recipe) , candied pumpkin , pumpkin soup , and  roasted cauliflower and pumpkin with a spicy dukkah and yogurt dressing .

 

For today, I am sharing one of my go to recipes when I am tight on time: Pumpkin frittata with potatoes, feta cheese and basil. I usually roast the pumpkin and potatoes before hand (I roast/ cook vegetables over the weekend and keep them in the fridge) On days when I don’t have time, I  simply throw everything together and into the oven!Lunch ready in under 30 minutes.
Frittatas are an Italian creation, they are egg based recipes that are similar to an omelette or a crust-less quiche. Usually vegetables, meat and even pasta are added to it. They are a great way to use left over meat or a few odd vegetables that you may have in your fridge.
Today’s frittata uses pumpkin and potatoes for a hearty base. The addition of feta and basil to the frittata add a whole new dimension with creamy saltiness from the cheese and bursts of color and flavor from the basil.

Pumpkin and potato frittata with basil and feta cheese

4 cups (650 g) pumpkin cut into cubes
1 large potato cut into cubes
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Olive oil spray or 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
8 eggs
100 g feta cheese crumbled
1/2 cup basil chopped coarsely

 

1.Preheat the oven to 220 C
2.line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
3.Arrange the pumpkin and potato pieces in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked black pepper and spray/drizzle with olive oil
4.Roast the pumpkins and potatoes until they are cooked through and tender (30- 40 minutes)
5.Grease a deep 20 by 24 cm pan and arrange the roasted pumpkins and potatoes in the pan
6.Whisk the eggs with the  basil
7.Pour the egg mixture over the pumpkins and potatoes and top with feta cheese cubes
8. Bake on the lower rack of the oven at 220 C until firm (20- 25 minutes)

فريتاتا اليقطين بالريحان و جبنة الفيتا

4 أكواب (650 جم) من اليقطين مقطعة إلى مكعبات

1بطاطا كبيرة الحجم مقطعه الى مكعبات

ملح حسب الرغبة

فلفل اسود

 2-3 ملاعق طعام من زيت الزيتون

8 بيضات

100 غرام جبن فيتا

1/2 كوب من الريحان المفروم خشن

1. نسخن الفرن إلى 220 درجة مئوية

2. ندهن وعاء الخبز بالزيت او نبطنه بورق الخبز

3. نوزع قطع اليقطين والبطاطا في طبقة واحدة. نرشها بالملح والفلفل الأسود و زيت الزيتون

4. نشوي اليقطين والبطاطا حتى يتم الاستواء (30-40 دقيقة)

5.ندهن وعاء خبز عميق بحجم  20 سم  في 24 سم و نرتب اليقطين و البطاطا المشويين في القاع

6.نخفق البيض مع الريحان

7.نصب خليط البيض على اليقطين والبطاطا ونوزع  مكعبات جبن الفيتا على السطح

8. نخبز الفريتاتا على الرف السفلي من الفرن( 220 درجة) مئوية حتى تتماسك (20-25 دقيقة)