The Ultimate Holiday Dish: Baked Macaroni and Cheese in A Pumpkin
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
This recipe, baked inside the pumpkin—a trick inspired by Dorie Greenspan and Ruth Reichl, both famous for their stuffed-pumpkin recipes (among other things)—simply knocked our socks off with flavor and a stylish yet homey presentation. Here we use Fontina and Gruyère, two old-school cheeses that can be found almost anywhere and are well known for both their gorgeous flavors and melting capabilities. The cheeses are flexible here, though, so you can use whatever you've got on hand. You can use all Fontina, all Gruyère, or even use all cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, Swiss cheese, or any combination thereof. I've made this dish with half Jarlsberg and half Monterey Jack, and it was incredible. Garrett once made it with aged cheddar - whatever they had handy at Trader Joe's - along with chorizo and chipotle pepper. It was a show-stopper. To prepare the macaroni the day before: shred your cheese, cook your pasta and sausage, then combine and stash in a sealed container in the refrigerator. A few hours before showtime, pre-bake your pumpkin, drop in the macaroni, and finish the dish in the oven while the turkey is resting.