My sister's scrumptious Stuffed Pumpkin

Here's what all the fuss was about. I'm telling you, without turning to a housewife from Lawng Island, this one is a real crowd pleaser. Honey, I tell ya, they'll love it. Obv. vegetarians can leave out the bacon.

Serves 8 (2 hours to bake)

3kg pumpkin, kabocha squash or other winter squash

Vegetable/olive oil for greasing

30g (1 1/2 tbsp) unsalted butter

1 large onion chopped

6 rindless smoked streaky bacon rashers, finely diced

200g (3/4 cup) fresh white breadcrumbs

2 garlic cloves

2tbsp sage leaves

250g (1 cup) Swiss cheese grated (gruyere or emmanthal or I've used Jarlsberg)

284ml (just over 1 cup) single cream

1. Preheat oven to 180c or gas 4 (350F) Use a sharp knife to remove the top of the pumpkin and set aside. Scrape out an discard the seeds and fibres. Lay a large lightly oiled sheet of foil over the base and sides of a baking tray. Place the pumpkin on top. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium low heat. Add the onion and bacon and cook stirring for 5 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the breadcrumbs and garlic and cook stirring until the crumbs are well coated in the butter. Stir in the sage and season well. Set aside to cool slightly. Stir in the cheese and pack the stuffing into the pumpkin cavity.

3. Slowly pour the cream into the pumpkin cavity to fill to the top (pouring it slowly allows the stuffing to full absorb the cream). Place the pumpkin lid on top and bring the foil sides up and around the pumpkin, then cover the top with more oiled foil. Bake for 2 hours until tender.