Serves 6-8
550g (prepared weight 450-475g) pumpkin, skinned, de-seeded (1 tbsp seeds reserved), cut into 1cm dice or triangles
75g sachet easy-blend micronised dried yeast
1 tbsp clear honey
450g plain white flour (plus extra for shaping)
2 tbsp milk
1⁄2 tsp fine sea salt
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50g pecorino cheese, finely grated

Cover the pumpkin with boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes or until the flesh is fork tender. Drain, keeping back 150ml of the cooking water. In a food processor fitted with a plastic blade, combine the yeast, honey and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Add the milk, cooking water and salt, and pulse twice. Leave the mixture for 10-15 minutes or until frothy. Add the
eggs, olive oil and half the flour, then pulse for 1 minute. Add the remaining flour and pulse again to a sticky dough. Turn out on to a heavily floured surface and knead rhythmically for 2 minutes. Spread a third of the pumpkin over the dough, fold in the edges to enclose it, then repeat this process once. Mash the remaining pumpkin and set aside. Leave the dough in a lightly oiled bowl in a warm place, wrapped in a large plastic bag, to rise for 1 hour – after half an hour, pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 7 (220°C, 425°F) – then punch down to deflate the dough. Set it on a baking sheet and work in the final third of the pumpkin with some extra flour. Brush with some warm water, scatter over the grated cheese and the reserved seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes, reduce the heat to Gas Mark 6 (200°C, 400°F) and bake for 15-20 minutes more, or until dark and crusty (the loaf should sound hollow when tapped). Leave to cool.

NOVEMBER 2007
FEATURE CLARE FERGUSON
STYLING ALI BROWN
PHOTOGRAPHS RICHARD JUNG