The vinegar caramelises in the oven and the vegetables come out sweet, sticky and deeply coloured.
Roasting concentrates the sugars in root vegetables until they can be a bit much on their own. Balsamic does two jobs here, half goes on before roasting where it caramelises into the edges, and half goes on after, where it stays sharp and cuts through.
Method
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Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a large tray.
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Toss the vegetables with the oil, half the balsamic, the salt, pepper and thyme.
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Spread over the tray in a single layer with space between the pieces. Crowded vegetables steam and never colour.
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Roast 40 minutes, turning once at the halfway point, until the edges are dark and caramelised and a knife goes through the beetroot easily.
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Tip onto a serving platter while hot and drizzle over the remaining balsamic. Adding it now, off the heat, keeps its acidity, the half that roasted has already turned sweet.
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Crumble over the feta, scatter with walnuts, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
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Beetroot takes longer than pumpkin. Give it a ten-minute head start if your pieces are large.
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Line the tray. Balsamic and beetroot together will stain a tray permanently.
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Leftovers are excellent cold, folded through rocket with a spoonful of the vinaigrette from this same set.