Pumpkin Parmigiana

17/11/2023

Pumpkin parmigiana is an autumnal variant of the more known eggplant parmigiana. It is a dish that combines the sweet flavors of pumpkin with the bold taste of cheeses, creating a tasty and comforting balance. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

1 kg of pumpkin
300 g of mozzarella
100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
400 ml of tomato puree
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Nutmeg to taste (optional)

Preparation

Start by peeling the pumpkin, removing the seeds, and cutting it into slices about half a centimeter thick. Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, season them lightly with salt, and cook in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for about 20 minutes, until they are soft but still firm.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Finely chop the onion and sauté it in a little oil along with the crushed garlic cloves. Once the onion has softened, add the tomato puree, salt, pepper, and basil. Let it cook for about 20 minutes over medium-low heat. If you wish, you can add a sprinkle of nutmeg for an extra touch.
When the pumpkin is ready, remove the garlic from the sauce and start to assemble the parmigiana in a baking dish. Pour some sauce on the bottom, then create the first layer of pumpkin, cover with tomato sauce, sprinkle with plenty of diced mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese.
Continue to alternate layers until all the ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of sauce and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Bake the parmigiana in the oven at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the surface is golden and crispy.
Let it cool for a few minutes before serving your pumpkin parmigiana.

Curiosity

Pumpkin parmigiana is a less known but surprisingly delicious variation of the traditional parmigiana. In Italy, each region has its own variant of parmigiana, and this dish shows the versatility of Italian cuisine in taking a classic and reinventing it with seasonal ingredients.