Stuffed Pumpkin

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the root and top end off of the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, wrap the garlic head in tin foil; place in the oven for about 1 hour.

2. Cut a circle around the stem of the pumpkin and remove the lid. Cut the seeds off of the lid and scoop out the seeds from the inside of the pumpkin. Season the inside with salt and pepper. Set the pumpkin and the ‘lid’ aside.

3. In a saute pan over medium heat, brown the pancetta to release the fat. Add the leek and sweat until soft. Turn off the heat and let cool.

4. In a bowl, combine the croutons, cheese, thyme, nutmeg and smoked paprika. Once it’s cooled, add the pancetta and leeks to the crouton mixture and combine.

5. Remove the roasted garlic from the oven and squeeze the garlic out of the skins. Chop it up and add it to the mixture as well.

5. Fill the pumpkin with the mixture. Pour the heavy cream over the top of the stuffing, place the pumpkin lid back on, and put the pumpkin on a sheet tray covered with a rack or a silicone pad. This will prevent the pumpkin from sticking to the bottom of the sheet tray.

6. Cook for 90 minutes, or until the pumpkin flesh is easily pierced with a fork.

7. In the last 15 minutes, lift the pumpkin lid and add more grated gruyere on top and keep the lid on the side of the sheet tray so the cheese can brown and bubble.

8. Serve the pumpkin sliced into fourths, in half, or as individual pumpkins depending on their size.