Hasselback Butternut Squash with Sage Crumb

A whole butternut squash, hasselback-sliced and topped with a garlicky sage and breadcrumb crust, roasted in a pizza oven until tender and golden. The hasselback cuts let the heat penetrate evenly and create crispy edges that catch the sage crumb beautifully. This is a showstopping side dish or a brilliant vegetarian centrepiece - it looks far more impressive than the effort involved.

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• A handful of fresh sage leaves
• A handful of breadcrumbs
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil or butter

Method

1. Peel, deseed, and halve the butternut squash lengthways.
2. Place on a baking tray and bake in your pizza oven for 5-10 minutes to start softening the flesh.
3. While the squash bakes, mix the crushed garlic, chopped sage, breadcrumbs, and olive oil or melted butter into a thick paste.
4. Remove the squash from the oven and place cut-side down on a chopping board. Place a chopstick along each long side of the squash half as a guide.
5. Slice thinly across the width at regular intervals - the chopsticks stop your knife cutting all the way through, keeping the base intact.
6. Return the squash to the tray cut-side up. Pack the sage crumb mixture into and over the hasselback cuts.
7. Bake until the squash is completely tender and the topping is crispy and golden. The time will depend on your oven temperature - check after 15 minutes.