Armenian Stuffed Pumpkin (Ghapama)
Ղափամա ghapamaSay it: ghah-pah-MAH
Ghapama appears at Armenian New Year, Easter, and wedding tables, where the baked pumpkin arrives with its lid still in place and the company often sings the dish’s well-known song. The flesh turns soft and the rice filling rich with butter, honey, cinnamon, apricots, prunes, pistachios, and walnuts. For a practical centerpiece, choose a pumpkin that fits a deep baking dish and plan on letting it rest before slicing; it is traditionally eaten cool, in wedges, with sweet red wine.
Armenian Stuffed Pumpkin (Ghapama)
Ղափամա, ghapama
Pronounced ghah-pah-MAH
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Also egg-free.
Allergens: contains milk, nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the pumpkin
For the filling
Method
Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Make a broad lid by cutting around the stem with the blade angled toward the center, so the top cannot slip inside. Remove the seeds and fibrous strands, then sprinkle the cavity with the sugar and a small pinch of the cinnamon.
Fill a medium pot with salted water and bring it to a boil. Stir in the rice and boil for 5 minutes, then pour through a sieve; the centers should remain a little chalky.
Warm the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the apricots, prunes, pistachios, and walnuts and stir frequently until the fruit turns tender and the nuts take on a toasted aroma, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the honey, the rest of the cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet and cook for 1 minute, until the honey becomes fluid. Take the pan off the heat, gently fold in the drained rice and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the water.
Fill the pumpkin with the rice mixture, using a light hand and stopping about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the rim so the grains have room to expand. Replace the lid.
Place the pumpkin in a deep baking dish. Add the remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml) water to the dish around the pumpkin, then seal the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until a skewer passes easily through the pumpkin wall and the filling is soft. If the lid is browning too quickly, set a sheet of foil loosely over it.
Leave the pumpkin undisturbed for 15 minutes, then move it to a serving platter. Cut into wedges, making sure each portion gets some of the soft pumpkin and rice filling.
Regional variant: Savory meat ghapama (msov ghapama)
Brown 1/2 lb (225 g) ground lamb or beef with one chopped onion. Use 1 cup (180 g) coarse bulgur instead of rice, reduce the dried fruit and nuts to half, and leave out the honey and cinnamon. Season with salt, allspice, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon tomato paste, then stir about 1 cup (240 ml) water or broth into the filling before baking until the bulgur is tender.
Cook's notes
- Pick a compact, heavy sugar pumpkin or kabocha; oversized field pumpkins tend to be watery and mild in flavor.
- Short-grain rice is what gives the filling its tender, sliceable texture; instant rice is not a suitable substitute.
- Resting after baking allows the rice to firm up, so the wedges keep their shape.
Serve with
Traditionally, cool wedges are paired with sweet red wine; if serving the slices warm, a spoonful of thick yogurt can go alongside.
Make ahead and storage
The stuffed pumpkin can be assembled and kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before baking; allow 10–15 minutes extra in the covered stage. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3 days.
