Roasted vegetable and herbed ricotta salad

ingredients

• Roasted vegetable salad

  • 1 bunch (500g) baby beetroots, leaves trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 bunch rocket
  • 1/3 cup (35g) coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon toasted pepitas
  • 500 gram pumpkin, peeled, sliced thinly

• Herbed ricotta

  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup loosely fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) pure cream
  • 500 gram ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs, beaten lightly
  • 1 1/4 cup (100g) finely grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Red wine vinegar dressing

  • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

method

• Roasted vegetable and herbed ricotta salad

  • 1

    Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Grease an 8cm x 22.5cm loaf pan (base measurement); line the base and sides with baking paper.

  • 2

    Place the beetroot on an oven tray; bake for about 45 minutes or until just tender. Wearing gloves, rub off the stalks and skin from the beetroot while still warm. Cool. Halve or quarter the larger beetroot, if necessary.

  • 3

    Place pumpkin slices on an oven tray, drizzle with oil; bake for about 25 minutes or until just tender.

  • 4

    Meanwhile, for herbed ricotta, process herbs until chopped finely. Add the cream and half the ricotta; process until smooth. Add remaining ricotta; eggs and parmesan; process until just combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until browned lightly.

  • 5

    To make red wine vinegar dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar; shake well.

  • 6

    Arrange beetroot, pumpkin and rocket on serving plates. Top each with a thick slice of herbed ricotta, walnuts and pepitas. Just before serving, drizzle with red wine vinegar dressing.