Pumpkin stuffed with rice and dried fruit (Ghapama)

1. Wash a round pumpkin of about 2.5 kg thoroughly, cut off the top like a lid (set it aside) and scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh with a spoon.

2. Rinse the rice and boil in salted water for 8-10 minutes until half-cooked, then drain; slice the dried apricots and prunes into strips and roughly chop the walnuts.

3. Melt the butter and stir in half the honey and the cinnamon; toss the rice with the dried fruit, raisins, walnuts and two-thirds of the spiced butter.

4. Brush the inside of the pumpkin with the remaining honey, fill with the rice mixture, drizzle with the rest of the spiced butter and 100 ml hot water, and put the "lid" back on.

5. Stand the pumpkin on a lined baking tray and bake at 180 °C for 1.5-2 hours until the skin has browned and the flesh can be pierced easily with a knife.

6. At the table, cut it from top to bottom into wedges so every slice has pumpkin flesh and honeyed fruit rice – it's the festive centrepiece of Armenian hospitality, especially at New Year and in autumn.

Tip: A popular Armenian song is all about ghapama and the party that goes with it. If you can only find smaller pumpkins, bake two, just for a shorter time.