A farming heritage from Southern Italy: the Mediterranean Pumpkin

10/15/2025

The Mediterranean Pumpkin is one of those dishes that speak for themselves. A simple recipe born from the peasant kitchens of Southern Italy, where just a few ingredients (but the right ones!) were enough to bring something truly delicious to the table.
Today, together with Cesarina Filomena from Montescaglioso, we’ll learn how to prepare this dish that smells like autumn and tells the story of her homeland’s tradition.

“At home, around this time of year, we used to harvest pumpkins and store them in a cool, dry place to keep them through the winter. The peels were fed to the pigs, while the seeds were dried: some were saved for the following year’s planting, others were salted and eaten as a snack. Simple traditions that are slowly fading away, but deserve to be told... and above all, passed down”.

This is a rustic dish, perfect for autumn, when pumpkins ripen in the fields and bring vibrant orange hues to the table. With its warm color, pumpkin takes center stage in autumn kitchens, becoming the ultimate comfort food—a true seasonal treat.

diced pumpkin

The preparation is slow-cooked, just like it used to be: the pumpkin is diced and gently simmered with the rest of the ingredients. Once ready, eggs are added, creating a humble base that yields a surprisingly rich blend of flavors and aromas.

It’s a dish with humble origins, straight from the homes of farmers, where meals were made with whatever was on hand. Pumpkin, an inexpensive yet nutrient-rich product, was a key staple. Over time, as household economies improved, the dish was enriched with a bit of fresh sausage, turning it into a truly satisfying and complete meal.

Today, Mediterranean Pumpkin is being rediscovered even in restaurant kitchens, yet it remains deeply connected to its roots and history.
Served with a slice of durum wheat bread and a glass of red wine, it’s nothing short of the perfect expression of autumn.

Mediterranean Pumpkin

More than just a recipe, this dish tells a story of rustic Southern Italian flavors

DifficultyEasy

Preparation time18m

Cooking time45m

€

CostLow

Ingredients

100 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 onion
Oregano, to taste
Chili pepper, to taste
Fresh basil
600 g pumpkin
200 g tomatoes
4 eggs
100 g fresh sausage

Method

Prepare the pumpkin by removing the tough skin and seeds.
Cut it into cubes of about 2 cm and rinse them well with plenty of water.
In a large, wide pot (better wide than tall), cover the bottom with plenty of olive oil.
Add the chopped garlic and onion, oregano, salt, chili pepper (if you like it spicy), and a bit of crumbled fresh sausage.
Let everything sauté lightly until fragrant.
Add the pumpkin, mixing it with tomatoes and cheese (if using – note: cheese wasn't listed above, so you might want to clarify this).
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
The pumpkin will naturally release its own water during cooking. If you’re using a denser variety, add half a glass of water to help the process.
Stir only occasionally to keep some pumpkin cubes whole.
Let it cook for at least 45 minutes.
When nearly done, add the eggs and cook for another 10 minutes, until set.