Squash soufflé

Soufflé de courge : instructions

• 1
  Peel the squash, cut it into cubes, place it in a pot with salt, cover, and cook until tender.
• 2
  Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth (there’s no need to use a potato masher).
  Let it simmer over low heat until it thickens as much as possible.
• 3
  Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce.
  Melt the butter in a large saucepan that will hold the entire mixture.
• 4
  Add the flour and stir until the mixture becomes slightly frothy. Gradually
  add the warm milk, and let it thicken while stirring constantly for about 10 minutes.
  This mixture should be thick, as it will provide the structure for the soufflé.
• 5
  Add the squash purée, pepper, and nutmeg.
• 6
  Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  Separate the egg yolks from the whites.
  Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• 7
  With the heat turned off, add the Gruyère and egg yolks to the saucepan.
  Stir, then gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
• 8
  Pour into a buttered baking dish.
  Bake at 200°C for 30 minutes.
  Serve immediately, as the soufflé will deflate quickly.