Who said Mexican food can’t have roasted Japanese pumpkin and Greek cheese in it? Nobody, that’s who. And hey, worse things have happened to Mexican food before.
Pumpkin quesadillas aren’t the usual gooey, cheesy affair – believe me, there’s a place in my heart for that, but today pumpkin wins out.
These are hearty yet simultaneously light and pack a little unexpected punch with the help of some cayenne pepper. The pumpkin (I chose a sweet Japanese/Kabocha) plays off many cheese choices nicely – if I didn’t have feta, I would have used a goat cheese, an aged cheddar or some parmesan.
In conclusion: be a rebel, make a multicultural quesadilla of your own. Do it.
Pumpkin and Feta Quesadillas
- Tortilla(s)
- Roasted pumpkin or squash*
- Feta cheese
- Pinch of of cayenne pepper
- Salt
- Chopped fresh coriander/cilantro
Depending on the size of your tortilla, you can either implement the fold-over or the stacking method. I only had small tortillas, so I sandwiched (“stacked”) my ingredients between two. With the stacking method you have to be extra careful when flipping halfway through cooking. You’ve been warned.
Turn your grill/broiler on to a medium-high temperature.
Generously spread your soft roasted pumpkin onto your tortilla, casually mashing it as you go. Sprinkle with salt, cayenne pepper and cheese. Top with your other tortilla or simply fold over (see method choices above) and grill in the oven for 5 minutes on each side until warmed through and crispy on the outside. Toss the coriander in between the tortillas or on top to serve.
*To roast the pumpkin chop into medium-sized chunks and roast with the skins on (I’m not fussy about the skins. I am also lazy.) You can cut the flesh off the skins after cooking. Bake on a lightly oiled baking tray at 200 C/400 C
