Ingredients (Serves 6-8 (as appetizer))

for the beans

• 3.5 ounces / 1/2 cup / 100 g dried beans of choice, like cannellini or canario
• Half of a small onion (or a quarter of a medium one), halved
• A bay leaf
• A small clove of garlic, sliced
• A couple of sprigs of fresh parsley

additionally

• 6 ounces / 170 g roasted winter squash pulp [see below how to prepare the squash]
• 1 tablespoon / 15 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 ounces / 112 g shallot or sweet onion (or a combination of the two), thinly sliced (1/8 inch / 3 mm)
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Fine sea salt and freshly milled pepper, to taste

Instructions

How to cook dry beans

The way I cook beans for further use comes from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison (Beans with Aromatics). After soaking half a cup of dry beans for several hours or overnight in enough water to cover them by about an inch (I use two cups / 475 ml), empty the whole bowl into a saucepan and add the aromatics.

Bring the water to a lively boil quickly, and keep it there for five minutes, then turn down the heat and let the beans simmer, covered, until they are ready. How long this takes depends on the type of beans and their freshness. Let them cool in their broth, then remove the aromatics and discard them. Let the beans rest in their cooking broth until ready to use.

How to prepare the winter squash

Preheat the oven to 375 F. If the squash is hard, pre-process it as follows: pierce it with a blade in a few places, place it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat, and bake it for 15 minutes, then let is cool slightly. This makes it easier to cut it in half.

Cut the squash (pre-processed or raw) in half lengthwise and remove the seeds (a grapefruit spoon is my preferred tool for this task). Place halves on the silicone baking mat, cut side down. Put in the oven and bake until tender, easily pierced with a blade. Let cool, then scrape the flesh off the skin, again using a grapefruit spoon, and place in a bowl or suitable container.

Let the squash pulp cool completely and weigh the amount required by the recipe.

How to prepare the spread

Warm up 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small frying pan and add the shallot or onion. Cook on gentle heat until soft and slightly caramelized. Sprinkle a bit of salt and stir.

Drain the beans, leaving them a bit moist. This is one of the advantages of cooking beans by yourself (instead of buying canned ones): the cooking liquid is aromatic and can be used as part of the dish you are making. Place the beans in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add squash pulp, cooked shallot or onion and start the processor.

When the beans are partially mashed, add the other 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil slowly through the feeding tube while the processor is running. Scrape the side of the bowl with a spatula to make sure that the ingredients get processed properly.

Process until all creamy. Add a bit of the bean cooking liquid to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from the food processor and refrigerate until use.

Take the spread out of the refrigerator ahead of serving (so it is not consumed cold). Serve with toasted bread or skorpor.

If you know you will not consume all the spread within a couple of days, freeze a portion in a suitable container for later use.

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