Serves8 (main course) or 12 (side dish)
- Active time:25 min
- Start to finish:2 hr
November 2008
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.
View more of our favorite recipes from this issue.
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1
(15-inch) piece of baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices (7 oz total)
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1
(7-lb) orange pumpkin
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1 1/2
cups
heavy cream
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1
cup
reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
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1/2
teaspoon
grated nutmeg
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2 1/2
cups
coarsely grated Gruyère (6 oz)
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2 1/2
cups
coarsely grated Emmental (6 oz)
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1
tablespoon
olive oil
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Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lower third.
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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.
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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 tsp salt.
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Whisk together cream, broth, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a bowl. Mix together cheeses in another bowl.
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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.)
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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.
Cooks’ note: Pumpkin can be filled 2 hours before baking and chilled.
