Stuffed Onions

Serves 6

Ingredients
6 large onions
1/2 cup of ham, diced
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
6 tbsp olive oil
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper

1. Peel the onions, but be careful not to cut through the bottoms.
2. Cook the onions in a large pot of boiling water for about 20 minutes. Drain the onions, and refresh them in cold water.
3. Use a sharp paring knife to cut around and scoop out the center section of each onion. You want to remove about half of the inside.
4. Lightly salt the inside of the "bowls" you just made, and leave them sitting upside down to finish draining.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
6. In a small bowl, beat the ham into the egg. Stir in the breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, nutmeg, and all but about 3 tbsp of the cheese. Add 3 tbsp of the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
7. Use paper towels to pat the insides of the onions dry. Stuff them with the ham and cheese mixture using a small spoon. Arrange the onions in a single layer in an oiled baking dish (ceramic works best).
8. Sprinkle the tops of the onions with the leftover cheese, and then sprinkle with the leftover olive oil.
9. Bake for 45 minutes - the onions should be very tender and golden on top.

Pumpkin Minestrone

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lb of peeled pumpkin flesh
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter
2 cups milk
6 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1.5 oz spaghetti, broken into small pieces
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper

1. Chop the pumpkin into 1" cubes.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
3. Add the onion to the saucepan, and soften it over medium heat for 6-8 minutes.
4. Stir in the pumpkin, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the stock, and cook for another 15 minutes or so until the pumpkin is soft, then remove it from the heat.
6. Use a blender or food processor to puree the soup, then return it to the pot.
7. Stir in the milk and nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Bring the soup back to a boil.
9. Stir the broken spaghetti into the soup, and cook until the pasta is done.
10. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, and serve piping hot.