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    Home / Main Courses / Entrees

    Leek and Gruyère Bread Pudding Baked in a Pumpkin

    Published Nov 5, 2012

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    baked pumpkin on aplate

    Jay is a recovering vegetarian. For years, the only meat that he would eat was a semi-reluctant bite of turkey on Thanksgiving.

    gruyere

    So several Thanksgivings ago I embarked on a journey inspired by Fran Gage's search for a turkey-substitute to serve her newly vegetarian kids. She wanted an entree that felt special and ceremonial, and looked grand the way a bronzed turkey does when it emerges from the oven.

    herbs

    Fran's solution was indeed a delicious one: a large bowl lined with puff pastry and filled with vegetables, bechamel, cheese, and chestnuts. When baked and turned out, it resembled a bronzed, rounded turkey breast. It was called a Timpano.

    chopped leeks

    The Timpano required days worth of work, a lengthy shopping list, bechamel-making, vegetable-cooking, the agonizing peeling of fresh chestnuts (which I will never do again), and the making of puff pastry from scratch (ok, I have no one to blame for this but my overachieving self).

    pumpkin

    I unveiled the Timpano at Thanksgiving, and my family dutifully oohed and aahed. The Timpano was devoured. It was worth every aching foot and back muscle. Jay was especially thrilled (though he still may have had a bite or two of turkey - understandable, as my brother makes it the best). But I wasn't sure I was up to the task of making another Timpano anytime soon.

    hollowed out pumpkin

    So when I came across Ruth Reichl's recipe for Swiss Pumpkin–a pumpkin hollowed of its seeds and strings and stuffed with bread, cheese, cream and eggs–in her memoir Comfort me with Apples, I thought, aha!

    ingredients in pumpkin

    Unfortunately, the cholesterol-bomb of a filling put me off making it for several years. I wanted some vegetable matter in there too (though certainly not chestnuts).

    While paging through my well-loved copy of Molly Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook the other day, I learned that the answer had been right under my nose the whole time. Molly calls her stuffed pumpkin "Pumpkin Tureen," and uses less bread, less cheese, and more vegetables, herbs and broth to make a sort of hearty pumpkin soup.

    bread in pumpkin

    So I mashed up the two recipes, and came up with this, a savory bread pudding seasoned with leeks and sage and baked in a giant pumpkin.

    Ridding the pumpkin of its stubborn strings was the hardest part of making this recipe (though nowhere near as dreadful as peeling chestnuts). Once that onerous task is finished, the rest of the recipe comes together quickly. After an hour and a half in the oven, a handsome pumpkin emerges, brimming with oozy, gooey bread pudding. The pumpkin releases liquid that further moistens the bread, and the pudding infuses the pumpkin's flesh with sage, leeks, and earthy gruyère. To serve, scoop portions of the cheesy bread pudding out along with some creamy, roasted pumpkin.

    baked pumpkin

    This being weeks before Thanksgiving, we didn't have our whole extended families to feed (yet), so Jay and I got to eat this entire 6 1/2 pound pumpkin (and I don't want to think about how much cheese) by ourselves. Leftovers have been reheating beautifully in an oven or toaster oven. A bowl of pumpkin goop, a salad with some bitter greens mixed in, and a glass of white wine make an excellent meal that feels both nourishing and surprisingly light due to a high pumpkin-to-cholestorol ratio.

    gruyere bread pudding baked pumpkin

    So if you're on the prowl for a grand vegetarian entree for Thanksgiving, I hope you look no further. (Though vegans will want to stick with Tofurky...)

    bowl of gruyere bread pudding

    For More Squash Recipes:

    • Roasted Winter Squash and Sage Tart
    • Mac and Cheese with Winter Squash, Bacon and Collards
    • Winter Squash and Sage Gougères
    • Roasted Delicata Squash with Brown Butter & Pomegranate

    *Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram,  Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this savory bread pudding recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet  and  #bojongourmet.*

    bread pudding baked in a pumpkin
    5 from 1 vote

    Leek and Gruyère Bread Pudding Baked in a Pumpkin

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    A delicious savory bread pudding that's perfect for Halloween!
    Alanna Taylor-Tobin
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    Total: 2 hours
    Servings: 10 servings.

    Ingredients

    • 1 sincere pumpkin, 6-7 pounds (8" in diameter)
    • 3 medium leeks
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • salt
    • splash white wine (or vegetable stock)
    • 2 tablespoons slivered sage leaves
    • 5 cups sturdy rustic bread cubes (such as levain or sourdough, crusts removed, cut into 1" cubes)
    • 2 cups grated gruyère cheese (7-8 ounces)
    • 1 1/2 cups half and half (or whole milk)
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • about 1 cup vegetable stock, as needed

    Instructions

    • Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, remove all other racks, and preheat to 350º.

    Prepare the veg:

    • Cut the top off the pumpkin, leaving a large enough opening to get your hands in there and remove the gunk. Scrape out the strings and seeds - this can take a bit of effort, but it doesn't have to be perfect. (Reserve the seeds if you like; see headnote.) Set the pumpkin on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.
    • Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks into 1/4" rounds, place the rounds in a large bowl, and fill with cool water. Swish the leeks around, separating the rounds, letting any dirt sink to the bottom.
    • In a large skillet, melt the butter and oil together over medium heat. Lift the leeks out of the water, shaking off excess water, and add them to the pan. Saute until wilted and tender, 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a splash of wine or stock, and season the leeks with a big pinch of salt.

    Layer the components inside the pumpkin in the following order:

    • -1/3 of the bread cubes
      -half the cheese
      -half the leeks
      -half the sage
      -1/3 of the bread cubes
      -rest of cheese, leeks and sage
      -remaining 1/3 of bread cubes
    • In a large measuring pitcher, whisk together the half and half, eggs, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt until thoroughly combined. Pour this mixture into the pumpkin. Add enough vegetable stock, if needed, to bring the liquid to 1 1/2 inches below the rim of the pumpkin (the liquid will bubble up, and the pumpkin will also release some moisture as it bakes).
    • Cover the hole with aluminum foil and cover with the pumpkin lid.
    • Bake the pumpkin until the flesh is tender (test this by poking the inside with the tines of a fork - they should slide in easily), about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Remove the pumpkin. To serve, scoop portions of pudding and pumpkin out together. Garnish with a few small sage leaves if you like. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in an oven or toaster oven before serving.

    Notes

    Adapted from Ruth Reichl's Swiss Pumpkin and Moosewood Cookbook's Pumpkin Tureen.
    Be sure to get a pumpkin that's designed for eating, such as Sugar Pie.
    If you like, save the seeds in a large bowl, let them soak in cool water for an hour or so, then lift them out with your fingers and into a strainer - the strings and goo should sink to the bottom. Drain them well, toss them to coat in olive oil, and roast them in a low oven, around 250º, until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes. Toss with a bit of salt, smoked paprika, curry powder, cayenne or whatever else you like. See this article for more on pumpkin seed roasting.
    Nutritional values are based on one of ten servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 358kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 16gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 377mgPotassium: 1110mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 24125IUVitamin C: 28.1mgCalcium: 429mgIron: 4.1mg
    Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

    Leek and Gruyère Bread Pudding Baked in a Pumpkin

    Adapted from Ruth Reichl's Swiss Pumpkin and Moosewood Cookbook's Pumpkin Tureen

    Be sure to get a pumpkin that's designed for eating, such as Sugar Pie. If you like, save the seeds in a large bowl, let them soak in cool water for an hour or so, then lift them out with your fingers and into a strainer - the strings and goo should sink to the bottom. Drain them well, toss them to coat in olive oil, and roast them in a low oven, around 250º, until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes. Toss with a bit of salt, smoked paprika, curry powder, cayenne or whatever else you like. See this article for more on pumpkin seed roasting.

    Makes about 10 servings

    1 sincere pumpkin, 6-7 pounds (8" in diameter)
    3 medium leeks
    1 tablespoon butter
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    salt
    splash white wine (or vegetable stock)
    2 tablespoons slivered sage leaves
    5 cups sturdy rustic bread cubes (such as levain or sourdough, crusts removed, cut into 1" cubes)
    2 cups grated gruyère cheese (7-8 ounces)
    1 1/2 cups half and half (or whole milk)
    2 eggs
    1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    about 1 cup vegetable stock, as needed

    Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, remove all other racks, and preheat to 350º.

    Prepare the veg:

    Cut the top off the pumpkin, leaving a large enough opening to get your hands in there and remove the gunk. Scrape out the strings and seeds - this can take a bit of effort, but it doesn't have to be perfect. (Reserve the seeds if you like; see headnote.) Set the pumpkin on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.

    Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks into 1/4" rounds, place the rounds in a large bowl, and fill with cool water. Swish the leeks around, separating the rounds, letting any dirt sink to the bottom.

    In a large skillet, melt the butter and oil together over medium heat. Lift the leeks out of the water, shaking off excess water, and add them to the pan. Saute until wilted and tender, 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a splash of wine or stock, and season the leeks with a big pinch of salt.

    Layer the components inside the pumpkin in the following order:

    -1/3 of the bread cubes
    -half the cheese
    -half the leeks
    -half the sage
    -1/3 of the bread cubes
    -rest of cheese, leeks and sage
    -remaining 1/3 of bread cubes

    In a large measuring pitcher, whisk together the half and half, eggs, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt until thoroughly combined. Pour this mixture into the pumpkin. Add enough vegetable stock, if needed, to bring the liquid to 1 1/2 inches below the rim of the pumpkin (the liquid will bubble up, and the pumpkin will also release some moisture as it bakes).

    Cover the hole with aluminum foil and cover with the pumpkin lid.

    Bake the pumpkin until the flesh is tender (test this by poking the inside with the tines of a fork - they should slide in easily), about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Remove the pumpkin. To serve, scoop portions of pudding and pumpkin out together. Garnish with a few small sage leaves if you like. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in an oven or toaster oven before serving.

    bread pudding baked in a pumpkin

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    the cover of the award-winning cookbook, Alternative Baker

    Hungry for more?

    Alternative Baker celebrates the unique tastes and textures of 14 gluten-free flours, from buckwheat flour to almond flour to sorghum and coconut! This cookbook will fill your kitchen with sweet treats that burst with flavor every month of the year.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anonymous says

      May 15, 2013 at 10:27 pm

      Ruth Reichl - has a lot to answer for in helping people to appreciate food.

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        November 06, 2013 at 6:54 pm

        Yes, she is awesome! :)

        Reply
    2. kclikestotrynewthings says

      November 28, 2013 at 12:53 pm

      So excited to serve this today, Thanksgiving 2013. It looks amazing!!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        November 30, 2013 at 8:15 pm

        Yay! I hope everyone loved it, and that you had a delicious feast. :)

        Reply
    3. Melissa says

      October 04, 2015 at 7:55 pm

      this recipes os one of two meals I've ever made which I immediately have thrown out. A waste of time and money for soggy bread in a pumpkin. So disappointing and will not try another recipe from this site.

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        November 22, 2017 at 9:24 pm

        Sorry to hear it wasn't to your taste!

        Reply
    4. Aliza says

      October 22, 2015 at 4:21 am

      This looks amazing, I can't wait to try it this weekend, but just one question... what did you use to cut off the top of the pumpkin? Will a chef's knife do, and is there a particular (and safe) method? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        November 22, 2017 at 9:25 pm

        Hi Aliza, a small serrated knife might do the trick! This is an older recipe and I'm afraid I don't remember exactly what I used. Please let me know what works for you!

        Reply
    5. Michelle says

      November 19, 2017 at 9:21 pm

      I made this tonight and it was glorious! My pumpkin was a bit small (maybe 5lbs?) so only half of the filling would fit. It turned out to be a good thing, as I was able to put the rest of the filling into a bread pan and then mixed it with the other pumpkin filling when they were done. There was more than enough pumpkin insides for both, and because of the bread pan, it had a crunchy top, which was quite tasty mixed in with the gooey center. Yum! I served it with a roast chicken. Double yum.

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        November 22, 2017 at 9:26 pm

        That whole meal sounds amazing - can I come over?!

        Reply
        • Michelle says

          November 23, 2017 at 12:20 pm

          Yes please!!! Road trip to PDX!

          Reply

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