Roast Pumpkin with Cheese "Fondue"
A stunning whole pumpkin filled with layers of crusty baguette, melted Gruyère and Emmental cheese in a creamy broth. This impressive dish transforms a pumpkin into an edible vessel for a rich, fondue-like filling.
Ingredients
- •1 piece baguette
- •1 whole orange pumpkin
- •1½ cups heavy cream
- •1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- •½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- •2½ cups coarsely grated Gruyère
- •2½ cups coarsely grated Emmental
- •1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lower third.
5 min
- 2.
Toast baguette slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet in oven until tops are crisp (bread will still be pale), about 7 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
7 min
- 3.
Remove top of pumpkin by cutting a circle (3 inches in diameter) around stem with a small sharp knife. Scrape out seeds and any loose fibers from inside pumpkin with a spoon (including top of pumpkin; reserve seeds for another use if desired). Season inside of pumpkin with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
15 min
- 4.
Whisk together cream, broth, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Mix together cheeses in another bowl.
5 min
- 5.
Put a layer of toasted bread in bottom of pumpkin, then cover with about 1 cup cheese and about 1/2 cup cream mixture. Continue layering bread, cheese, and cream mixture until pumpkin is filled to about 1/2 inch from top, using all of cream mixture. (You may have some bread and cheese left over.)
15 min
- 6.
Cover pumpkin with top and put in an oiled small roasting pan. Brush outside of pumpkin all over with olive oil. Bake until pumpkin is tender and filling is puffed, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
90 min
