Chef Nafy Flatley of Teranga restaurant in San Francisco designed this Senegalese-style flatbread to honor the Arabic influence on her country’s cuisine. While this snack has a few elements that need to be cooked separately before you assemble it, the majority of the work can be done ahead of time; you can even make big batches of the squash and onion and freeze individual portions so they’re ready whenever you want them.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Cut the butternut squash into approximately ½-inch cubes; you should have about 1½ cups.
• Mix the squash pieces with enough olive oil to thoroughly coat them, then season them with a little salt and a very generous amount of pepper.
• Mix everything well and transfer the squash to a parchment-lined sheet pan, spreading the pieces out so they aren’t clumped together.
• Roast the squash for 10 minutes, stir and flip the pieces, then roast for another 10 minutes. The squash should have lots of well-browned bits but should not start to burn. Transfer the squash to a small bowl and mash it with the back of a fork until you have a relatively smooth paste.
• While the squash is roasting, cut the onion into ¼-inch slices. Add a thin layer of olive oil to the bottom of a pan and place over high heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the slices are nicely browned along the edges; the smaller pieces may be quite dark. Turn the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan, and continue cooking until the slices are very soft, about 5 minutes (add a little more water if the onion sticks).
• Mix the za’atar with the lemon juice, then drizzle in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix well.
• Let the za’atar dressing sit for at least 20 minutes before using. Refrigerate the squash, onions, and dressing for up to 4 days if not using immediately.
• Finish the Dish: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put the pita on a parchment-lined sheet pan and spread the squash puree on it in an even layer, almost all the way to the edges.
• Distribute the onion over the squash, sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds, and top with the feta.
• Bake the flatbread until the cheese starts to brown in places, about 10 minutes. When it is done, drizzle on the za’atar dressing and sprinkle on the sumac and some chile, to taste. To eat, cut the flatbread in half and cut each half into strips, then sprinkle the pomegranate arils over everything.

Recipe adapted from Snacking Dinners (Hardie Grant)

Picture: Leela Cyd