Harissa Chickpea and Cauliflower Traybake

Ingredients

• 1 large cauliflower, about 800 g trimmed, cut into small florets
• 2 x 400 g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 480 g drained)
• 2 red peppers, cut into 3 cm pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon harissa paste, plus more at the table if wanted
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 3–5 tablespoons cold water for the dressing
• 15 g parsley, chopped
• 4 small pita breads, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat and dry. Heat oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F. Set out two shallow baking trays. Dry the drained chickpeas with a clean towel and dry the cauliflower after washing. Extra surface water makes the vegetables steam and dilutes the harissa coating.
2. Coat the vegetables. Mix oil, harissa, cumin and salt in a large bowl. Add cauliflower, chickpeas and peppers and toss thoroughly. Scrape the remaining spice mixture over them. Divide between the trays in a loose single layer; avoid stacking the cauliflower florets.
3. Roast and turn. Roast for 30–35 minutes, turning after about 20 minutes and swapping the trays if one browns faster. The cauliflower should have golden edges and a stalk that a knife enters easily. Chickpeas may be lightly crisp outside but will not become completely crunchy in this mixed traybake.
4. Make the tahini dressing. Stir tahini, lemon juice and garlic together. It may become stiff at first. Whisk in cold water a tablespoon at a time until pourable, then taste before adding any salt. Keep the dressing separate while the vegetables finish.
5. Warm the bread. Warm pita according to its packet during the last few minutes of roasting. Check the vegetables and return any firm cauliflower to the oven for a few minutes. If the edges are catching before the centres soften, lower the oven slightly and cover loosely.
6. Finish at the table. Scatter parsley over the hot traybake. Divide into bowls, drizzle with some dressing and offer the pita and remaining dressing separately. Add extra harissa at the table so each person can control the heat rather than making the whole tray too spicy.

Tips and troubleshooting

If harissa tastes very salty, omit the measured salt initially. Small florets cook faster than thick stalk chunks, so trim stalks more finely. A pale tray often needs more space or another few minutes, rather than a thicker spice coating.

Substitutions

Use 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and a pinch of chilli instead of harissa for a milder adaptation. Sunflower-seed butter can replace tahini if suitable, but the flavour and allergen profile change. Flatbreads or a separately cooked grain can replace pita.

Allergen notes

Contains sesame from tahini and usually wheat from pita. Harissa may include additional declared allergens; check the jar. Choose suitable bread and sauce for your dietary requirements.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate cooled vegetables promptly and use within 48 hours. Keep the dressing and bread separate. Reheat vegetables on a tray or in a skillet until hot throughout, then add fresh dressing. Chickpeas lose their crisp edges during storage.

Food safety guidance: FoodSafety.gov cooking temperatures and the Food Standards Agency home food fact checker. Follow local food-safety advice and ingredient use-by dates.