ROAST PUMPKIN WITH CHEESE "FONDUE"

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Roast Pumpkin with Cheese

As the pumpkin roasts, its skin becomes gorgeously burnished, while inside, slices of baguette, Gruyère, and Emmental coalesce into a rich, velvety concoction that is utterly fabulous served with a scoop of tender pumpkin flesh.

Categories     Cheese     Appetizer     Bake     Thanksgiving     Vegetarian     Dinner     Pumpkin     Fall     Swiss Cheese     Gourmet     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free

Yield Makes 8 (main course) servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 (15-inch) piece of baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices (7 ounces total)
1 (7-pound) orange pumpkin
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyère (6 ounces)
2 1/2 cups coarsely grated Emmental (6 ounces)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lower third.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Whisk together cream, broth, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Mix together cheeses in another bowl.
  • 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.)
  • 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.

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