Pumpkin tagine with dates & honey

Season: All year

Type: Big dishes

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 6 at home or 30 tastes in the classroom

Fresh from the garden: pumpkin, carrot, onion, coriander, parsley

Recipe source: Adapted from the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation

• metric measuring spoons & cups
• chopping boards & non-slip mats
• 1 medium knife, 1 large knife
• mezzaluna
• large heavy-based pan
• scales
• serving bowls

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 500 g pumpkin
• 250 ml tomato passata
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 400 g chickpeas, cooked or tinned (or 250 g soaked overnight and cooked)
• 10 dried apricots
• 8 soft, pitted dates
• 2 tbsp honey
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• small handful flat-leaf parsley
• small handful coriander

• Set out your ingredients.
• Peel and thinly slice the onions. Peel and chop the carrots into 1.5 cm cubes. Cut the pumpkin into 1.5 cm cubes.
• Dice the dried apricots and cut the dates into quarters.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan.
• Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the carrot, pumpkin, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon and stir to combine.
• Pour in the passata and stock and bring to a simmer.
• Cover and cook gently for 20 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas, apricots, dates and honey.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, then simmer for another 5 – 10 minutes, making sure you do not overcook the pumpkin.
• Chop the herbs and sprinkle over the tagine to serve.