Stuffed Pumpkin with Sausage, Spinach & Apple (Zucca Farcita con Salsiccia, Spinaci e Mela)
Autumn arrived quietly, as if it wanted to surprise us. Until just a day ago, I would wake up, open all the windows to let in the fresh morning air, walk barefoot around the house, and carelessly choose the brightest, lightest clothes.
Then one morning, it came — silently.
I could feel it in the cool air of the bedroom, the kind that makes you pull the blanket a little closer, searching for the human warmth of the person sleeping next to you. You get up, open the window, and linger there — torn between the desire to watch the fog slowly rise and give way to sunlight, and the urge to put on another sweater and set the kettle for tea or coffee.
In the evening, after work, I step outside to enjoy the last rays of the sun. The air is already chilly, but that’s the best way to reconnect with the world and with nature.
It’s not the falling leaves that reveal the late autumn, but the light itself — warmer, softer, more intimate.
In my wardrobe, I start looking for colors and textures that match this new gentleness: thick cotton, my favorite sweater made of fine burgundy wool, and comfortable home clothes in shades of brown and grey.
I’ve been wondering how long I would wait before sharing my first pumpkin recipe of the season. For weeks, one has been sitting in my kitchen, spreading its gentle sweetness little by little. Pumpkin always wins in risotto — I made one during a cooking class, creamy with pecorino cheese and sage-infused butter, so delicious that I almost wanted to keep it all to myself, even though I had to share it at the table.
I roast it too, sliced or cubed, on its own or with potatoes and the last eggplants of the season, drizzled with olive oil and Mediterranean herbs like sage and rosemary. Sometimes I season it with spices from distant lands — cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of sumac.
And now, I’ll finally share my favorite pumpkin recipe of the year — the one that fills the kitchen with warmth and comfort. 🎃
Stuffed Pumpkin with Sausage, Spinach & Apple (Zucca Farcita con Salsiccia, Spinaci e Mela)
Serves: 6
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
🧺 Ingredients
- 1 Hokkaido pumpkin (approx. 2 kg)
- 800 g Italian sausage (in links or coils)
- 200 g baby spinach
- 2 apples
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 100 ml apple juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
👩🏻🍳 Preparation
1️⃣ Prepare the pumpkin
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Wash the pumpkin, cut off the top, and scoop out the seeds.
Brush the inside with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake at 200°C (390°F) for about 40 minutes.
2️⃣ Make the filling
While the pumpkin bakes, cut the sausage into 2–3 cm pieces.
Wash the spinach and apples, then dice the apples.
Finely chop the onion and garlic.
In a pan, heat a little olive oil and brown the sausage until golden. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, sauté the onion, apple, and garlic until fragrant.
Return the sausage to the pan, season with salt and pepper, add the spinach and apple juice, and cook until the liquid evaporates.
3️⃣ Stuff and bake again
Fill the baked pumpkin with the sausage mixture, cover with foil, and bake for 10 more minutes.
Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes to brown slightly.
Serve the pumpkin on a platter, slightly tilting its “lid,” and garnish with a few spinach leaves. Enjoy warm — it’s autumn on a plate! 🍁