Pumpkin Gratin

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
1 pumpkin, about 2 lbs, halved, seeded, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
¾ cup cooked white rice
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
¼ cup all purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, sliced finely
¼ cup mixed chopped fresh thyme and winter savoury
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
3 Tbsp fine dried bread crumbs
3 Tbsp olive oil

Method
Preheat oven to 325ºF (165ºC). Oil a 7x12 inch baking dish.

Place pumpkin cubes in a large bowl. Scatter rice, cheese, flour and garlic over the top. Sprinkle with thyme and savory, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Using a large spoon or clean hands, toss together, making sure the pumpkin is well coated with flour. Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Scatter the bread crumbs over the top and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake the gratin until the pumpkin is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife and the top is a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. If the top has not browned sufficiently, increase oven temperature to 425ºF (220ºC) and bake for 5 minutes longer, or slip the gratin under the broiler until brown. Remove from the oven and serve.