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Easy Stuffed Pumpkin Recipe

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 medium-sized pumpkin
salt and pepper
250ml quinoa
500ml water
5ml salt
60ml prepared basil pesto
125ml grated Parmesan cheese
2 red peppers, quartered
1 brinjal, cut into5mm-thick slices
2 large courgette, sliced lengthwise
2 red onions, peeled and cut into 5mm thick slices
olive oil for cooking

Method

Cut the top off the pumpkin and set aside. Hollow out the pumpkin, leaving a 2cm border.

Season the inside of the pumpkin with salt and pepper
Place the quinoa, water and salt in a pot.

Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, on a medium heat, until the quinoa is cooked.

Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork, and stir in the pesto and Parmesan cheese.

Place the slices of red pepper on a tray and grill until the skins are blackened.

Remove and place in a plastic bag to sweat. Once cool enough to handle, scrape away the blackened skins.

Place the brinjal, courgette and onion slices on a baking tray. Brush well on both sides with olive oil.

Cook them under a grill until done on both sides.

Season the vegetables.

Place a layer of the quinoa mixture in the base of the pumpkin.

Add a layer of red pepper slices, using half the peppers.

Add another layer of quinoa, then a brinjal layer, a layer of quinoa, a layer of courgette, a layer of quinoa, a layer of red onion, a layer of quinoa, and top with a final layer of red peppers.

Replace the lid and wrap the whole pumpkin in foil.

Place in a roasting tin and cook in the oven at 180degC for 2 hours, or until the pumpkin is soft when pierced with a skewer.

Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving in slices.
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The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.

Categories: Foodporn