Baked Pumpkin with Melted Cheese

A very interesting and unusual variation of baked pumpkin – with aromatic spices, garlic, and grated cream cheese. When baked, the cheese forms an excellent creamy “cap” that harmonizes well with tender pumpkin slices baked in fragrant butter!

Ingredients

• Pumpkin – 330 g
• Processed cheese – 150 g
• Garlic – 1 clove
• Vegetable oil – 1-2 tbsp
• Sugar – 0.25 teaspoon
• Salt – 0.5 teaspoon
• Ground black pepper – on the tip of a knife
• Dried basil – 0.25 teaspoon
• Ground smoked paprika – 0.25 teaspoon
• Fresh dill – 2-3 branches

Directions

1. Prepare foods according to the list; rinse the pumpkin, cut the peel, and remove the seeds.

   

2. Cut the peeled pumpkin pulp into small pieces with a side of about 1 cm and send to a bowl.
3. Peel and grate the garlic (or pass through a press), pour vegetable oil over the pumpkin. Add chopped garlic, salt, sugar, smoked paprika, dried basil, and black pepper to it. Stir well so that the pumpkin pieces are evenly covered with spices and butter.
4. Turn on the oven to heat up to 180 degrees.
   Line a baking dish (mine is 23×20 cm) with foil. Spoon the pumpkin slices in the butter and spice into a dish and flatten.
5. Grate the melted cheese on a fine grater and sprinkle it on the pumpkin, spreading the cheese as evenly as possible. Put the form with the pumpkin in the oven and bake at 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Focus on the characteristics of your oven – the pumpkin should be soft.
6. Baked pumpkin with melted cheese is ready!

   

7. It is better to serve the finished dish hot immediately after cooking, sprinkle with chopped dill if desired.

Enjoy your meal!