Vegetarian cheat’s manti (pasta with roasted butternut squash & green lentils over garlicky yogurt)

Name: Vegetarian cheat’s manti (pasta with roasted butternut squash & green lentils over garlicky yogurt)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1.2 kg butternut squash, peeled and deseeded to give 850g flesh; 4 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle; 80 g green lentils, rinsed; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 400 g conchiglie rigate, or pasta of your choice

Özlem Warren's Turkish dumplings can be made with minced meat or a vegetarian filling. If you're short of time, make the vegetarian ‘cheat’s manti’, using shell-shaped conchiglie (it resembles the manti shape).

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VegetarianHealthySource of fibre1 of your 5 a day

Serves6
CourseMain meal
Prepare20 mins
Cook40 mins
Total time1 hr

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Ingredients

1.2kg butternut squash, peeled and deseeded to give 850g flesh
4 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle
80g green lentils, rinsed
1 large onion, finely chopped
400g conchiglie rigate, or pasta of your choice

For the garlicky yogurt

400g Greek style yogurt (use plant-based if preferred)
2 clove/s garlic, finely chopped

For the spice-infused olive oil

4 tbsp Essential Olive Oil
2 tsp Cooks’ Ingredients Peppery Pul Biber, to taste
2 tsp dried chopped mint
1 tsp Cooks’ Ingredients Sumac

Method

Preheat the oven to 220ºC, gas mark 7. Combine the yogurt with the garlic in a medium bowl. Season to taste, combine well, cover and set aside at room temperature.
Cut the squash into 1cm cubes. Place on an oven tray and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil. Season, then coat the squash using your hands. Spread it out in a single layer on the tray and roast for 25-30 minutes, until cooked and a little charred at the edges.
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Add the green lentils and a pinch of salt. Partially cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender, but not mushy. Drain in a sieve, rinse the lentils under cold water and set aside.
Heat a large sauté pan and add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and the onions. Sauté over a medium to high heat for 10-12 minutes, until the onions start to caramelise. Stir in the roasted squash and lentils, then season. Gently combine over a low heat for 1-2 minutes, then turn the heat off.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to pack instructions, until al dente. Towards the last minute of the pasta cooking time, take 3 tbsp pasta water and add to the vegetable and lentil sauce. Turn the heat back on and gently combine the liquid with the sauce to heat through. Once the pasta is cooked, drain, then drizzle with a little olive oil and combine, so the pasta doesn’t stick.
For the spice-infused oil, put the 4 tbsp olive oil in a small sauté or frying pan. Add the pul biber, mint and sumac. Stir and allow to infuse over a medium to low heat for 30 seconds, then turn the heat off.
Using a serving spoon, divide the pasta between plates. Spread a generous amount of sauce over the pasta, place dollops of garlicky yogurt over the sauce and drizzle the spiceinfused olive oil on top. Serve immediately. ‘Afiyet olsun’, as we say in Turkish when serving food – it means may it bring you health and happiness.

Cook’s tip

You can make the sauce ahead of time and chill for up to 3 days. You can also vary this recipe using other vegetables – aubergines, mushrooms and peppers all work well. Use plant-based yogurt alternatives for a vegan cheat’s manti.