Runa makes this for the Night of Hecate, but it’s easy to make any time during pumpkin season. Runa grows her own pumpkins, but you can procure any kind of pie pumpkin for this recipe.

Fresh foraged mushrooms are a thing this time of year, too. If Runa has chanterelles or Oyster mushrooms on hand she uses those. But some nice cremini mushrooms work, too.

Runa also brews up her own stock to use in this recipe. But you can use store bought, or simply water.

If you’re lucky enough to have a larder with homemade apple sauce, use that in this as well — but only if it’s an unsweetened variety. Otherwise use a fresh apple.

Runa loves to serve this with a swirl of sour cream accompanied by hunks of farmer’s cheese and sourdough biscuits. But you do you, witch.

The roasted goodness is so nutritious and yummy that you’ll want to make it all through the year! Don’t forget to either save the seeds for planting next year or roast them up as a great autumn treat!

Equipment:

Roasting Sheet Pan

Cauldron

Immersion blender, or heavy-duty blender, or food processor

Ingredients:

1 pie pumpkin (about 4 lbs.), de-seeded and quartered

13 fresh foraged mushrooms of choice or cremini mushrooms (you can use any mushroom of your choice)

6 whole, peeled garlic cloves (up to 13 can be used if you like things more garlicky)

7 mini sweet peppers, topped and de-seeded (leave as whole as possible)

1 large sweet onion, peeled

1 half-pint of unsweetened apple sauce or one large fresh apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

3-4 cups of stock of your choice (Runa used vegetable broth) or water

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt (with more to taste)

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. paprika (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

Grated Cheese of choice (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Put pumpkin quarters, garlic, peppers, onions, and mushrooms on pan and roast for 40 minutes. Let cool until you can touch the pumpkin without burning your hand (about an hour).

Peel the pumpkin and put the roasted pulp into a greased cauldron (cooking spray or a splash of your favorite oil is fine), put all the rest of the roasted veggies in with the pumpkin, add the cut up apple, and about 1 cup of your stock (or water). Immersion blend. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, put all the veggies in a food processor or blender and puree). Add the spices and the rest of the broth and simmer on stove until slightly thickened. Serve with a dollop of cream or shredded cheese and a good hunk of bread.