Over the last couple of years I have become a huge fan of sourdough toasts loaded with all sorts of delicious toppings. I usually build my combos around one or two main ingredients that are in season. With autumn just around the corner, a grilled sourdough with butternut squash and figs sounded like a great option! It just needed a few additions to help enhance the flavours and dress the toast up.
The Flavour Affair:
Butternut Squash + Nutmeg + Cinnamon + Figs + Feta + Oil + Honey + Balsamic
Supporting: Caramelized Pecans + Micro Greens + Lime
In fact, this combo makes an amazing salad, but serving it on a crunchy and aromatic piece of sourdough bread creates a completely different experience! Technically, the bread is not grilled but rather fried on a griddle pan in olive oil. The oil creates a golden crust and imparts a light, floral and grassy scent.
Butternut Squash: I slice it very thinly and brush with oil mixed with ground nutmeg and cinnamon. Both spices pair very well with squash, and their warmth accentuates the autumnal character of the dish. I then fry the slices on a pan until they’ve softened and charred slightly. The flavour is very subtle, sweet with earthy undertones. You can drizzle the slices with a bit of lime juice to brighten it up a little.
Figs: fresh figs are plump and sweet, with distinctive notes of honey and caramel. I think they look their best thinly sliced across!
Feta: you can whip it with a bit of olive oil and smear the toast with it before arranging the squash and figs on top. Alternatively, simply scatter some crumbles over. Salty, briny feta is great for balancing the overall flavour, and it also creates a beautiful visual contrast.
Because both butternut squash and figs have a relatively dry texture, I recommend to finish the toast off with a simple dressing. Mix 1 tbsp each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with 1/2 tsp honey and 1/3 tsp rock salt and drizzle over the toast.
Optional Ingredients:
Micro Greens: I like to scatter a few leaves and flowers around – it gives the toast a much dressier look and adds a hint of bitterness.
Caramelized Pecans: irresistibly glossy and crunchy, they create an amazing finishing touch. It can be a bit tricky to arrange them on the toast, but if you go for the salad version, they are a must!
Preparation Tips for Grilled Sourdough with Butternut Squash, Figs and Feta:
- Start with grilling the sourdough. Cut the bread into 1cm slices and fry over medium-high heat in 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. Let it cool down a bit but don’t leave for too long to avoid the toasts drying. They are best when fresh – crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.
- If you decide to whip feta, place it into a bowl and add a splash of olive oil to help the process.
- For the dressing, you can use regular balsamic vinegar or a fruity one – fig or apple will do great!
- To make caramelized pecans, heat a pan to medium high and add a splash of water (about 2 table spoons). As it starts bubbling, add 2 heaped tea spoons of brown sugar. Stir to dissolve, add pecans and keep moving them around to coat. Once the liquid evaporates, transfer to a sheet of parchment paper and let cool.
Other than that, the toast requires a simple assembly with a drizzle of dressing on top!
Recipe Variation:
As I mentioned before, these ingredients work amazingly well in a salad. Cut butternut squash into wedges approximately 1.5cm thick and toss with olive oil seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg. Roast at 200C for about 15-20 minutes, turning once in between. Toss two cups of rockets leaves or other leafy greens with the dressing, add the remaining ingredients and season with black pepper. Simple and oh-so delicious!
Whichever ‘format’ you prefer, I promise you will not be disappointed! Let me know in comments if you’ve made it and loved it 🙂 Also don’t forget to try some (or all!) of my other scrumptious sourdough toast variations:
Fried Eggplant, Burrata, Tomatoes and Tkemali
Strawberries, Makrut Lime and Whipped Ricotta
Grilled Nectarines and Burrata
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Grilled Sourdough with Butternut Squash, Figs and Feta
Equipment
- 1 grill pan
Ingredients
- 4 slices of sourdough bread approximately 1cm thick
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil divided
For the toppings:
- The elongated part of a small butternut sliced into very thin circles
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 4 figs thinly sliced across
- A few caramelized pecans
- 1 flat tbsp crumbled feta
- A few edible flowers or micro greens to decorate
For the dressing:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp rock salt
Instructions
- Heat 2-3 tbsp of olive oil to medium high in a grill pan. Fry the bread for about 2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove and let cool.
- Mix 2 tbsp of olive oil with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg. Brush the slices of butternut squash with the mixture. Fry on the same grill pan for 3-4 minutes on each side until softened. Remove and place on a paper towel so that it absorbs the excess oil.
- Make whipped feta, if using: whisk 70g with a table spoon of olive oil.
- Make the dressing by whisking together 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp honey and 1/4 tsp rock salt.
- Assemble the toast: brush the bread with whipped feta and arrange the butternut slices on top followed by sliced figs. Scatter over more feta crumbles, add pecans and micro greens.
- Drizzle over the dressing and serve.
Notes
- For the dressing, try using a fruity vinegar such as apple or fig balsamico.
