A warming supper

Pumpkin soup

500g pumpkin chunks, thinly sliced
1 potato or sweet potato, peeled, thinly sliced
1 apple, peeled, thickly sliced
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
11/2 litres (or as needed) vegetable broth
100ml dry white wine
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For garnish
Frothed milk or whipped cream
Chopped walnuts or pecans
Pumpkin seeds
Mixed spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves)

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a flat baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the pumpkin into wedges (like a melon). Remove seeds and fibres with a knife and cut it into slices.
Peel the potato, apple and onion. Cut them into slices.
In a bowl, place the pumpkin, potatoes and onions. Mix them well with the melted butter, salt and pepper and spread the vegetables on the flat pan with the parchment paper.
Bake at 180C for 30 minutes or until golden.
While the vegetables are cooking, take a large saucepan and add the broth, wine and spices.
After the vegetables are cooked, add them to the pot along with the spices, thyme and broth.
Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off the heat. With a hand blender, blend until puree. To get a more velvety texture, pass it through a colander. If necessary, add more broth.
Serve the soup with the garnishes.

Focaccia Garden
225g lukewarm water
2g dry yeast
10g sugar
40g olive oil
200g rustic flour
200g all-purpose flour
6g salt

Add all the dough ingredients to the mixer bowl.
Knead with the hook attachment for 8 minutes on medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Transfer the dough to a greased container with a lid and place in the refrigerator for 72 hours.
Two hours before baking, take the dough out of the refrigerator so that it comes to room temperature.
Place the dough on a greased baking sheet and press it lightly to spread. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes – it does not fully rise before decorating.
Shaping and decorating: Spread the dough on a 30×30 cm baking pan. Make dents with your fingers and place vegetables, forming flowers, leaves or patterns:
Carrot (thin slices with peeler)
Cherry tomatoes or olives for the centre
Pepper or red onion strips for leaves/stems
Basil, rosemary, parsley or arugula leaves for green elements
Zucchini (thinly sliced or spiral)
Radishes (thinly sliced)
Onion (fresh or red, thinly sliced)
Olives (black or green, whole or cut)
Mushrooms (sliced)
Asparagus (boiled or raw, cut)
Seeds (sesame, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds)

Let the dough rise for 30-40 minutes, so that the vegetables are drawn into the surface, and brush the surface with olive oil.
Preheat the oven to 230C.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the surface is golden brown and the dough is fluffy.
Let the focaccia cool a little before cutting and serving.

Recipes provided by the Lidl food academy. Stasikratous 34, Nicosia 1010. https://www.lidlfoodacademy.com.cy/