Baked Koftas on Root Vegetables with Pumpkin Purée
·Prepare the vegetables
Peel the root vegetables and cut them into chunks. Tip them into a large roasting pan. Halve the baby onions lengthwise and add them to the vegetables. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Prepare the meat mixture
Put the meat in a bowl, add the eggs and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. You can also add a splash of the oil the tomatoes were preserved in. Season with salt and pepper, and feel free to add your favourite herbs or spice blend.
Bake the meatballs with the vegetables
Shape the meat mixture into koftas – small rolls. Arrange them on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Cover the pan with a lid and bake in an oven preheated to 170 °C for about half an hour.
Roast the squash
Roast the squash at the same temperature and for the same amount of time. Halve it and place it in a roasting dish, cut side up. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with a lid and bake.
Finish the purée
Scoop the roasted squash flesh into a bowl and mash it with a fork for a rustic, 'smashed' texture. If you prefer a smoother purée, blend it. Adjust the seasoning to taste, and feel free to stir in fresh herbs, a few drops of oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, or some chopped walnuts.