Roasted Butternut Squash with Cumin Seeds, Feta and Pistachi

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly crushed

1½ teaspoons packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or ¾ teaspoon sweet paprika mixed with ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

2 pound butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces

4 ounces (1 cup) feta cheese, crumbled (see headnote)

3 tablespoons heavy cream

¼ teaspoon grated lime zest, plus ½ teaspoon lime juice

3 tablespoons raw or roasted pistachios, chopped

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, cumin, sugar, ¾ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add the squash and toss. Distribute in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, then pour any oil remaining in the bowl over the squash. Roast until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the largest piece meets no resistance, 35 to 40 minutes.

Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the squash to a serving platter. In a small bowl, fold together the feta, cream, lime zest and juice and the remaining ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper; the mixture will resemble cottage cheese. Spoon the feta mixture over the squash and sprinkle with the pistachios.