Pumpkin Fries With Cumin, Feta Cheese, And Pepitas
Pumpkin Fries With Cumin, Feta Cheese, And Pepitas
Just when you are getting sick of sweet potato fries, in comes another beta-carotene rich food. Eating oven-baked pumpkin fries will give you a healthy serving of Vitamin A, which protects your eyes from cataracts and degeneration.
Servings
1
Ingredients
- 2 small or one large pie pumpkins
- 1 tablespoon and one teaspoon expeller-pressed canola oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup pepitas
Directions
- Move one oven rack to the top, about four inches under the broiler element, and the other rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 475 F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, if desired, for easier clean up.
- Poke each pumpkin with a fork eight times all around and microwave the whole pumpkin for 2-3 minutes, making it easier to peel. Cut off the stem and remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. Quarter the pumpkin from top to bottom and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Cut a half-inch off of the pointy top and bottom of each quarter, to prevent burning. Cut the large pieces into thin French fry-like strips and cut the pointy ends lengthwise into smaller fries.
- Spread the pumpkin on the sheet pan, sprinkle with cornstarch, and toss until evenly coated. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss again with hands. Bake on the middle rack until golden on the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove pan and change oven setting to high broil. Sprinkle fries evenly with garlic powder and cumin, flipping with a spatula to help distribute. Sprinkle fries with feta and place on the top oven rack, broiling until the cheese softens and the fries turn a bit more golden, but not burned, about 3 minutes.
- Remove pan and immediately sprinkle pepitas on top of the fries covered with cheese.