2 large butternut squash
2 very large to 4 medium yellow cooking onions
1 cup raisins
2 cups ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese in an emergency)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
grated swiss cheese

Cut the squash in half perpendicular to the long axis. Hollow out each half. Cut off the bottom bit of each half if necessary to make it stand upright like a bowl. The bottom half will be easy to hollow out because it holds the seeds; you will have to cut out and discard some edible flesh in the top half. Set your oven to 350 degrees, and put in the 4 halves to start baking.

Cut the onions into thin rings. Saute them over high heat, putting in the raisins at the same time so that they will start to soften. When the onions are soft, clear and a little brown, remove from the heat and add the ricotta, sour cream and parmesan. Open the oven, fill the squash halves and continue baking until a knife goes easily all the way through the squash (about 1 hour after the squash were first put in).

When cooked through, sprinkle the top of each spotch with grated swiss, then put briefly under a broiler until the cheese bubbles and turns brown.

This is meant to be a vegetarian main dish; it's a little overwhelming as a side dish. Serve with bread and salad.

DMS, 7/26/95