Roast Pumpkin and Bacon Soup with Garlic Pita Pockets

Ready in 35 minutes • Serves 4-5
This dish most recently appeared in My Family (5 Nights For 4) on Sunday, June 18, 2017.

This winter soup is sure to warm you up.

Ingredients

300g pumpkin, peeled and diced 1-2cm
300g orange kumara, peeled and diced 1-2cm
½ tablespoon soup spice mix
250g shoulder bacon, finely diced
1 brown onion, finely diced
1 leek, white and light green part only, finely diced
1 carrot, grated
½ tablespoon soup spice mix
4 cups chicken stock (if using powdered, use only 2 cubes/teaspoons dissolved in 4 cups water)
½ cup water
¼ sour cream

oven to 230°C. Line two oven trays with baking paper.
On first prepared tray, toss pumpkin and kumara with first measure of soup spice mix and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and roast for about 15 minutes, turning once to ensure even cooking.
Heat a small, dry fry-pan on medium-high heat and cook ¼ cup of finely diced bacon for 3-4 minutes, until crispy. Set aside on a paper towel and reserve for soup garnish.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot on high heat. Cook remaining bacon with onion, leek, carrot and a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Add second measure of soup spice mix and cook a further 1 minute.
Add stock, water, roasted pumpkin and kumara to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. While soups cooks, slice pita breads in half. In a small bowl mix butter and garlic together, then spread inside with garlic butter. Place on second prepared tray and heat in oven for 3-4 minutes, until warmed.
Add first measure of sour cream to soup and stir until combined. Blend soup with a food processor or stick blender until smooth, or mash. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
divide roast pumpkin and bacon soup between bowls, top with a dollop of remaining sour cream and sprinkle over reserved, cooked bacon to garnish. Serve with a garlic pita bread on the side.