Squash, Sage & Pancetta Open Sandwich

This Squash, Sage & Pancetta Open Sandwich recipe from Delifrance layers warm autumn flavours onto fluffy focaccia for a comforting yet elegant bite. Silky butternut purée meets spiced roasted squash, crispy pancetta, and fragrant fried sage, creating a perfect balance of sweetness, smokiness, and crunch. A standout seasonal dish that feels both rustic and refined.
Cooking Time
60
Portions
2

Ingredients

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  •   Delifrance Gran Focaccia 19490
  •   bulb end of a butternut squash (peeled, deseeded & diced)
  • ml water
  • g salted butter
  •   tsp smoked paprika
  •   tsp cumin
  •   tbsp olive oil for drizzling
  •   Picked sage leaves
  • g Pancetta lardons
  •   pinch Salt & cracked black pepper to taste
  •   Vegetable oil for frying

  • 1

    Step 1

    Bake the bread according to instructions.
  • 2

    Step 2

    Take the bottom half of the squash and roughly dice it.
  • 3

    Step 3

    Place the roughly diced squash, water, butter and a generous sprinkling of salt into a saucepan.
  • 4

    Step 4

    Bring the pan to the boil and simmer until all the water has evaporated. Once the water has evaporated, blend the squash until it has become a smooth, silky puree.
  • 5

    Step 5

    Preheat an oven to 180°C fan.
  • 6

    Step 6

    Take the neck end of the squash and dice it into 15 mm diced pieces; place these diced pieces onto a lined baking tray and sprinkle over the paprika, cumin and seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 15/20 minutes until al dente.
  • 7

    Step 7

    Place a dry non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add the pancetta lardons; fry until crispy (the fat can be blended into the purée for extra flavour), then remove the pancetta and leave on the side.
  • 8

    Step 8

    Add the vegetable oil into the frying pan and bring to a high temperature – fry the sage leaves until the bubbles stop and they are crispy.
  • 9

    Step 9

    Assemble the sandwich – slice the bread length-ways to give 4 equal-sized pieces.
  • 10

    Step 10

    Spread the squash puree onto the bread, and top with the roasted squash, pancetta lardons and crispy sage.

Ingredients

  • 1 Delifrance Gran Focaccia 19490
  • 1 bulb end of a butternut squash (peeled, deseeded & diced)
  • 500 ml water
  • 50 g salted butter
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for drizzling
  • 15 Picked sage leaves
  • 150 g Pancetta lardons
  • 1 pinch Salt & cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1 Vegetable oil for frying