Roasted Stuffed Pumpkin

Our answer

Nigella's Roasted Stuffed Pumpkin should be cooked in a hot oven, one which has been preheated to 200c/400F/Gas mk 6. If you need to cook other items in the oven then it would be possible to cook the pumpkin at 180c/350F/Gas mk 4 but it will take around 45 minutes longer to cook (or slightly more if you have a very full oven or are opening the oven door frequently).

A smaller pumpkin will take less time to cook, though the exact time will depend on the size and type of the pumpkin. Most medium-sized pumpkins are likely to take at least an hour to cook and we would suggest testing regularly after that. The pumpkin flesh should be tender (a table knife should slip into the flesh easily) and the rice in the centre should be piping hot. If you are cooking the pumpkin for a party and are not sure about timings then allow for the maximum cooking time of 2 hours, to be safe, but once the pumpkin has cooked enough remove it from the oven, cover with foil and leave it in a warm place, until ready to serve. The pumpkin should remain warm for 30 to 45 minutes (though we suggest serving it within an hour and do not leave it standing for more than 2 hours).