Creamy Pumpkin Casserole with Mascarpone

I found these adorable little ramekins at the second hand store the other day. I admit, thrift store shopping is a real passion of mine for many reasons. First, it satisfies my need to shop, and I can usually walk away with an exciting little something for under $10. Also, it’s a way to donate to causes like hospice, animal rescue and shelters.

The question: with what should I fill these adorable little treasures? How about this creamy pumpkin casserole with mascarpone?

I’m not sure where this recipe came from originally, but it’s a perfect way to use winter squash or pumpkin. Just about any hard squash or pumpkin will do: butternut, hubbard, delicata, red kuri, sugar pumpkin, Kabocha. The addition of mascarpone and parmigiana cheeses creates a smooth, rich consistency with a deep flavor. Enjoy and buon appetitio!

Creamy Pumpkin Casserole with Mascarpone

Sweet and savory - this delicious combination of roasted squash, parmigiana, mascarpone and a hint of nutmeg. Perfect for a winter supper or fancy side dish.

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• five 1-cup ramekins or one 2-quart casserole dish

Ingredients

  

• 1 2 lb hard winter squash or pumpkin such as butternut, hubbard or Kabocha
• 4 oz mascarpone
• ½ cup grated parmigiana cheese + 3 tbsp for topping
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 2 eggs - separated
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp sea salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• To prepare the squash: Cut in half and remove the seeds. Place face up in a roasting pan with about 1 inch of water in the bottom of the pan. This helps to keep the squash moist as it cooks. Roast at 400 degrees F. for about 40 minutes until just soft. Of course, times will vary according to the size and variety of squash. You want to end up with 2 ½ cups of cooked squash.

  Remove flesh from skin and pass through a ricer. If you don't have a ricer, simply mash cooked squash with the back of a fork until uniform. Place squash in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the flour, nutmeg, mascarpone, egg yolks, 1/2 cup parmigiana and 1/4 tsp salt and mix well. Stir rapidly for about 1 minute to add some air into the mixture.
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gently fold them into the squash mixture.
• Grease either five 1-cup individual-sized ramekins or one 2-quart casserole dish. Spoon the squash mixture into the ramekins or casserole dish. Sprinkle with 3 tbsp. parmigiana cheese.
• Bake for 50 - 55 minutes until nicely browned on top. Serve right away. Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Notes

I call this a casserole and not a souffle. The egg whites will puff up a bit during cooking, but for this recipe to be called a souffle, it would need to have more egg whites to overcome thickness of the pumpkin and the mascarpone. In this  casserole, the fluff and creaminess are in perfect balance. Let me know what you think!

Keyword creamy, mascarpone, pumpkin, squash

Here are some more winter squash ideas to keep you warm:

Butternut squash ravioli 3 ways
Welcome Autumn: Quinoa with Squash and Veggies
Savory Pleasure -Winter Squash with Tagliatelle