Recipe: Spiced pumpkin soup with Pecorino Crisps

Try this simple, delicious and nutritious homemade vegetable soup for the chilliest autumn days.

 

INGREDIENTS

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into large pieces

5 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp dried chili flakes

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

25 g (1 oz) butter

2 onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

1-2 tsp medium curry powder

600 ml (20 fl oz) boiling hot vegetable stock

For the Pecorino crisps

100 g (3½ oz) grated Pecorino cheese

 

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Put the pumpkin on a roasting tray, drizzle with oil, season and sprinkle with chili. Roast for 40-45 minutes. Toast the cumin and coriander in a dry saucepan, then grind. Add the butter to the saucepan and cook the onion, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add the ground spices and curry powder and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and purée. For the crisps, spoon heaped tablespoons of cheese onto a parchment-lined baking sheet 3 cm (1¼ in) apart and pat down. Bake for 5 minutes, remove and allow to cool. Serve the soup in warmed bowls with the crisps.