A simple dish for the cozier months, I served this with Trader Joe’s frozen Kunefe that I had baked.

Baked Pumpkin Wedges with Goat Cheddar and Thyme

Ingredients

one pie pumpkin, approximately 4-5 pounds
shredded Trader Joe’s Goat Cheddar Cheese, or alternatively any other easy to melt cheese
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
salt to taste
about 2 tbsp olive oil for drizzling

Directions

In order to cut into wedges, first place the pie pumpkin on its side and cut off the stem, leaving as much of the pumpkin flesh as possible. You can optionally cut the bottom part in the center, called the blossom end. Position the pumpkin so that its now flat top side is touching the surface of your cutting board and cut in half. From there cut the halves once again down the middle so you have four wedges.
Scoop out all seeds and stringy parts. You can wash the seeds and roast them later (see below).
Drizzle with enough olive oil to cover the insides of the wedges and season with salt and dried thyme.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pumpkin wedges with the skin facing upwards on your baking sheet. (This is to prevent any water that may come out of the wedges from pooling inside of them.) Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until fork tender.
After reaching the desired level of doneness, take out the pumpkin wedges and carefully flip them onto their backsides on the baking sheet. Inside of each pumpkin wedge, layer in your shredded cheese and more thyme if desired. Place back in oven with broiler on high for approximately 2 minutes so that the cheese can melt. Take out once done and allow to cool for approximately 10-15 minutes before serving.

Bonus: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

While the pumpkin wedges are cooking, I like to wash the seeds and prepare them for roasting. I’ll usually throw them in the same baking sheet as the pumpkin wedges towards the end off their cooking before they’ve reached their desired level of doneness and the timing works out perfectly!

Ingredients

washed pumpkin seeds
salt to taste
2 tsp olive oil
optionally, any other seasonings to taste, i.e. pepper, garlic powder, or herbs

Directions

After washing the pumpkin seeds in water and draining them, pat them dry.
In a bowl, season the pumpkin seeds with salt and olive oil and mix. If using any other spices or herbs this is the time to add them as well.
About 20 minutes before the pumpkin wedges are done roasting their first time in the oven, take them out. Carefully spread the pumpkin seeds on any uncovered areas of the baking sheet, trying avoid any overlapping of the seeds.
Place baking sheet back in oven until pumpkin wedges are done. They can stay in the baking sheet when the pumpkin wedges go back into the oven the second time under the broiler to melt their cheese.
Pumpkin seeds should be golden brown when done.