You will need: Fireclay bricks/Spacer grid/Grill grate
Top heat: approx. 220-250°C
Preheating: approx. 30 minutes
Working hours: 40 minutes
Cooking time: approx. 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

(for 4 persons)

• 1 butternut squash (approx. 1.5 kg)
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

For the filling:

• 200 g spelt (quick-cooking)
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• ½ bunch parsley, chopped
• 2 spring onions, sliced into rings
• 10 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small head of radicchio
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 2-3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

In addition:

• 2 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped
• Salt, pepper
• Olive oil

Heat the Merklinger to approx. 220-250°C.

Cook the spelt according to the packet instructions. (You can also do this the day before).

Cut the pumpkin in half lengthways and remove the seeds with a spoon. Place the pumpkin halves in a baking dish with the inside facing upwards and season with salt and pepper. Mix the garlic with the thyme and 1 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl and brush the cut surfaces with the mixture. Place the baking dish on the wire rack on the firebricks and pre-cook the pumpkin for approx. 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the chopped walnuts, without adding any fat, in a fireproof pan directly over the fire on the pull-out grill rack. Set aside.

Wash the radicchio, remove the outer leaves and cut in half lengthways.
First place them cut-side down on the grill for approx. 2 minutes. Then salt the cut surfaces and brush with a mixture of 2 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey.

Place on the grill for a few more minutes with the cut surfaces facing upwards.

Cut the grilled radicchio into strips.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in an ovenproof pan on the pull-out grill rack and sauté the garlic and parsley in it.

Add the spring onions and mushrooms and sauté. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the spelt, radicchio and parmesan.

As soon as the pumpkin halves have softened a little, remove them from the Merklinger and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Leave a 1 cm wide edge. Dice the flesh and mix into the filling. Season again with salt and pepper to taste.

Fill the pumpkin halves with the mixture and place in the casserole dish in the hot Merklinger for a further 30-40 minutes.

Top with the toasted walnuts and some freshly chopped parsley before serving.




Tip:

To make the dish a vegan treat, leave out the Parmesan or replace it with a vegan product.