Pumpkin Gratin

Serves

Vegetable gratins are perennial fall and winter favorites. This pumpkin recipe takes its inspiration from French Provence, where large wedges of pumpkin are popular items at farmers' markets.

Parsley, sage and garlic perfume the chunks of pumpkin, then a tasty topping of bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and hazelnuts forms a crispy crust. The pumpkin-hazelnut combination is simply delicious.

We recommend using panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs) because they have a coarser texture than most store-bought crumbs. If you don't have panko, regular unseasoned breadcrumbs will also work.

Ingredients

  butter (for greasing the pan)
1 medium pumpkin (such as Sugar Pie or Cinderella) (peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups))
1/3 cup fresh minced sage (or 1 teaspoon dried sage)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts

Directions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. 

Place the pumpkin in a large bowl and add the parsley, sage, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine, then add the olive oil, tossing to coat the pumpkin. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking pan or a roasting pan large enough to hold the pumpkin in a single layer. Bake until the pumpkin is crisp-tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet and add the panko. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to coat the crumbs. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the panko cool. Then stir in the Parmesan and hazelnuts.

Once the pumpkin is crisp-tender, sprinkle with the Parmesan-panko mixture. Return the pan to the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Then place the pan under the broiler and broil on high until the top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.