Mediterranean-style stuffed Hokkaido pumpkin with lentils and feta
"What can I do with a whole pumpkin?" You can forget about that question this season. Tonight, we're serving wonderfully tender baked Hokkaido pumpkin halves with a Mediterranean filling! Aromatic tomatoes, olives, red onion, oregano, and parsley come together in this dish.
Ingredients · Servings 2
- 1 Hokkaido pumpkin
- 300 g lentils (cooked)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 100g pitted Kalamata olives from a jar
- 10 g parsley
- 250 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 lemon
- 100g feta cheese
- Salt
- Pfeffer
Method · 1 h 10 min
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Halve the Hokkaido pumpkin lengthwise and remove the seeds. Brush the cut surfaces with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in the preheated oven for about 30–35 minutes, until the flesh is soft.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the red onion, garlic, olives, and parsley. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion for about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and tomatoes and sauté for another 5–7 minutes. Once the tomatoes are soft and just beginning to burst, add the cooked lentils and oregano and mix well. Add the zest and juice of half a lemon and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the olives and parsley.
- Remove the pumpkin from the oven and let it cool slightly. Gently loosen the flesh with a fork, leaving a 1 cm border all around. Scoop out some of the flesh, roughly mash it, and stir it into the lentil mixture. Divide the filling between the pumpkin halves and crumble the feta cheese over the top. Return to the oven and bake for about 8–10 minutes, until the feta is lightly golden brown. To serve, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. If desired, serve with the remaining lemon half for squeezing over the top.
