Pumpkin

Olive oil

½ butternut pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

chilli flakes

Paul Newman’s Own Ranch Dressing

Baked ricotta

1kg fresh ricotta

5 eggs

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Slice up half a butternut pumpkin into wedges and arrange on a roasting tray.
2. Toss with olive oil, brown sugar and chilli flakes to taste. Season then place in a moderate oven to roast until soft and caramelised around the edges (around 30 minutes).
3. Whisk together ricotta, eggs and freshly grated parmesan cheese until smooth. Transfer mixture to a greased baking dish and place in the oven for the pumpkin’s final 20 minutes or until firm around the edges but slightly wobbly in the middle.
4. Serve the pumpkin on a platter lined with mixed salad leaves then break up some of the baked ricotta, sprinkle over the pumpkin and dress with Paul Newman’s Own Ranch dressing to finish. This is a lovely easy lunch, especially when served with sourdough bread and perhaps even a plate of proscuitto and olives.