Onion Squash - Fall Food

To get further into the Fall feel I decided to try an Onion Squash.

On reading up on the gourd, it says it is best to have it baked or in a soup. So I decided to have it baked and stuffed. I read some recipes and decided on a format then went my own way with the ingredients. 

First I preheated the oven to 180C (fan) and cooked some rice and made a tomato sauce.

Rice/Mushroom Tomato Sauce

The sauce was very simple, canned tomato, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. I also added some sugar and tomato puree. Usually I let it reduce and cook it slowly but since I knew it was going in the oven I put it all together and let it combine. I also like to make more than I need as then I can have it over pasta the next day.

De-seeded Onion Squash

Once the rice was nearly cooked, I chopped up some mushrooms and added them to my sauce, continued cooking until the rice was done and then mixed the rice and sauce.

For the Onion Squash, it had a quick rinse and then the top was cut off and it was hollowed out.

I placed a bit of cheddar at the bottom of the squash and then stuffed with the rice/sauce. The squash  overflowed but can you have too much filling?

Onion Squash - Pre-Oven

I replaced the top of the squash and then popped it in the oven for 40minutes.

The squash could have done with being cooked at a lower temperature maybe 160C for 45-50mins but it was good none the less.

Onion Squash - Post Oven

The squash itself was cooked well and was nice and tender. The filling was nothing fancy but it went well with the squash.

Onion Squash - Before

Onion Squash - After

Overall it was tasty as my first fall meal. It needs some tweaks but I'm sure I'll practice before the month is over.

Would you try a Baked/Stuffed Onion Squash?