Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Two Fresh Vegetarian Fillings

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to **220°C / 425°F**. Scrub the sweet potatoes, pat them dry, and prick each several times with a fork. Rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a good pinch of salt—this helps the skins become pleasantly savory and the insides turn silky.

2. 2

   Place the potatoes on a baking tray and roast for **45–55 minutes**, until a knife slips easily into the centers. Don’t wrap them in foil, dear; the dry oven heat gives them much better flavor.

3. 3

   While they bake, warm the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, until golden and soft. Stir in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and coriander; cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

4. 4

   Add the chickpeas, a pinch of salt, and a splash of water. Cook for 5–7 minutes, gently crushing a few chickpeas with your spoon so the filling becomes hearty rather than loose. Finish with lemon juice and chopped parsley or cilantro.

5. 5

   For the second filling, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, feta, mint or dill, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning—the cool filling should be lively enough to balance the sweet potato.

6. 6

   When the potatoes are tender, let them rest for 5 minutes, then split them lengthwise. Gently loosen the flesh with a fork, keeping the skins intact. Place the baked potatoes on plates and spoon the fillings over them rather than baking them again, just as you requested.

7. 7

   Finish with toasted pumpkin seeds, chili flakes, extra herbs, or pomegranate seeds if you have them. The warm chickpeas and cool yogurt filling together are a little bit of magic, sweetheart.