Butternut Squash Hummus

Whenever I do an Israeli meze—falafel, babaganoush, hummus, salads—this dip is a must for my family. Although the recipe is not mine, I include it here because it's part of my Simchat Torah menu for this year.

Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's Butternut Squash and Tahini Spread

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, about 2 lbs, peeled and cut into chunks

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 5 tablespoons tahini

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (Labne also works well)

• 2 small garlic cloves, grated or pushed through a garlic press

• 1 tablespoon mixed sesame seeds (a combo of black and white is nice)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons date syrup (silan)

• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (If you don't like cilantro, use parsley or leave it out)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.

• Cover a baking tray with parchment paper. Toss the squash onto the tray, pour over the olive oil, and sprinkle on the cinnamon and salt. Mix it well with your hands and spread it out over the tray in a single layer.

• Cover the tray tightly with foil and roast for 70 minutes, stirring once during the cooking. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

• Transfer the cooled squash to the bowl of a food processor, along with the tahini, yogurt, and garlic. Roughly pulse so that everything is combined into a coarse paste – you don't want it too smooth. You can also do this by hand using a fork or masher.

• To serve, spread the butternut in a wavy pattern over a flat plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds and a drizzle of date syrup. Finish the dish with the cilantro or parsley.

• Serve with warm pita.