Recipe: Zucca Agro-Dolce (Sweet Sour Pumpkin)

Zucca Agro-Dolce (Sweet Sour Pumpkin)
rec.food.recipes: Teresa
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Serves 4 to 6 as part of an appetizer tray

This is kind of different...kind of a spicy, sweet and sour caponata. It makes a nice appetizer or cold salad sprinkled with slivered almonds or pine nuts.

1 pound pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (if using canned, include the juices; if using fresh, add 1/2 cup tomato sauce)
3 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Using a large frying pan and working in batches, lightly brown the pumpkin slices in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkling with a pinch of sugar, cinnamon and allspice toward the end of the browning. Remove the pumpkin to a plate.

Into the hot pan toss the remaining oil and garlic and cook a moment or two -- just until fragrant, do not let brown. Then quickly add the tomatoes, raisins, sugar, paprika and vinegar; simmer a few minutes to reduce the tomatoes to a thick sauce. Return the pumpkin to the pan. Season with salt and cayenne pepper, balance the sugar and vinegar, and serve either warm or at cool room temperature.