This baked stuffed squash is fun to make, serve and eat! It is a wonderful fall side dish and a conversation piece for a dinner party. You can use any medium-sized squash that is in season. A kabocha squash is great for 6-8 servings, but I used a red kuri squash that was perfect for 4-6.
The red kuri squash is a dark orange teardrop shaped squash, similar inside to a pumpkin, but its taste is smooth and more like a butternut squash. Delicious! For a larger squash, double my recipe.
First, cut off a lid, like you would for a jack-o-lantern. Hollow out the seeds and stringy stuff. Salt the inside of the squash.
Heat oven to 450, with rack in lower third of oven. Toast slices of French bread baguette for about 7 minutes. I needed 9 baguette slices. Reduce oven temperature to 400.
Whisk together 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1/2 t. nutmeg.
Grate 5 oz. gruyere and 5 oz. emmental cheese and combine. Other soft melty cheeses will also work. I used gruyere and Italian fontina.
Line a baking pan with foil. Put squash in the pan. Place a layer of toasted bread in bottom of squash. Add 1/3 of your grated cheese. Pour about a third of cream-broth mixture. Repeat with two more layers to end up about 1/2″ from the top of the squash.
Cover squash with its lid, and brush all over with olive oil. Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours until squash is tender.
When you take off the lid, you will have a delicious “bowl” of cheesy bread fondue that is a fabulous side dish (or vegetarian meal). It is like a squash bread pudding.
How do you eat this luscious thing? Well, the fun way would be to set it in the middle of the table and give everyone a spoon! Make sure to get all the yummy squash from the sides and bottom. I scooped out the mixture onto our plates. We had enough for 6 servings, and the leftovers were a perfect lunch.
Palma’s passions are Italian travel, cooking, and living an Italian lifestyle in the southern California desert. She is in private practice as a licensed Marriage Family Therapist. Palma and her husband love sharing their knowledge of Italy with others during their small group tours to bella Italia. http://www.palmabellasitaly.com/
Palma's passions are Italian travel, cooking, and living an Italian lifestyle in the southern California desert. She is in private practice as a licensed Marriage Family Therapist. Palma and her husband love sharing their knowledge of Italy with others during their small group tours to bella Italia. http://www.palmabellasitaly.com