Minced meat casserole with pumpkin

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g pumpkin flesh (Hokkaido or Butternut), peeled and cleaned
• 500 g minced beef or mixed minced meat
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 6 apricots, dried
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 300 ml water
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 pinch(s) cinnamon powder
• n. B. Salt and pepper, freshly ground
• 1 handful of almonds, chopped
• 100 g cheese, grated
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 handful of parsley, flat
• 150 g crème fraîche
• n. B. Salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 55 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 25 minutes

low-carb

Cut the peeled and cleaned pumpkin into cubes or wedges, place in a shallow dish or on a baking sheet and coat with 1 tablespoon of oil and lightly salt. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (top and bottom heat) on the middle rack for about 20 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft. Meanwhile, peel and dice the onions. Peel and chop the garlic. Finely dice the apricots. Mix the water and red wine vinegar. Grease a baking dish with a little butter. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a non-stick pan and toast the almonds until light brown. Remove and set aside. For the dip, finely chop the parsley, mix with the crème fraîche and season with salt. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan and fry the minced meat until crumbly and lightly brown. Add the onions and garlic and fry briefly. Stir in the tomato paste, deglaze with the water and red wine mixture, and stir in the apricots. Season everything with salt, pepper, and cinnamon and simmer for about 10 minutes. Mash the soft pumpkin with the remaining butter until finely ground and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the minced meat to the casserole dish and sprinkle with the almonds. Spread the pumpkin puree on top, smooth it down, and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Bake in the hot oven for about 20 minutes. Serve hot with the dip.