This rustic dish makes a wonderful cold-weather meal when paired with a green salad. Instead of the usual white top made of potatoes, this shepherd’s pie gets a toasted orange hue from winter squash, a common ingredient in Greek and Italian cuisine. You can substitute pumpkin, red kuri squash, or kabocha squash for the butternut. Gremolata, a fresh Italian condiment of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic, adds a bright citrus note.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　5 cups peeled and diced butternut squash (roughly a 1/2-pound squash)

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　6 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 yellow onion, diced

　　2 cups fresh leafy greens, stemmed and finely chopped

　　2 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 clove peeled and smashed

　　2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

　　1 cup walnuts, pulsed in a food processor until coarsely ground

　　5 anchovy fillets, minced

　　1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

　　1/2 cup bread crumbs

　　1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　Zest of 1 lemon

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 2

Toss the squash with salt and pepper and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Arrange it in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until the squash is very soft, about 50 minutes. Stir occasionally. Let the squash cool and purée it in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and set aside.

　　

Step 3

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add the greens and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, chickpeas, walnuts, and anchovies. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Transfer the chickpea mixture to a 10-inch round glass baking dish, and spread the squash purée evenly over the top. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the squash in a thin layer, then drizzle with the 1 remaining tablespoon olive oil. Bake until the bread crumbs are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

　　

Step 5

To make the gremolata, combine the parsley, zest, and smashed garlic clove in a food processor, and grind to a coarse meal. Set aside in a small dish. Serve the pie in slices with the gremolata scattered on top.

　　Lucid Food