Sweet pumpkin and vanilla bechamel casserole

Split the pumpkin in half with a serrated bread knife, then cut each half into three roughly equal segments.

Remove the core and seeds with a V-shaped cut around them.

Peel the segments, removing all visible green flesh, then slice into pieces about two and a half centimetres or one inch thick and cut those into bite-sized chunks.

Weigh the cleaned pumpkin flesh and add a quarter of that weight in granulated sugar.

Mix thoroughly so every piece is coated in sugar, and leave it on the worktop overnight to macerate.

Split the vanilla bean lengthways and scrape the seeds out with the tip of a knife. Keep the pod.

Add the macerated pumpkin with all its liquid and sugar to a large pot along with the empty vanilla pod.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stir, and simmer 10 to 20 minutes until fork tender but not mushy.

Drain through a colander set in a bowl, removing any vanilla pieces, and let it drain at least 10 minutes.

Measure out 500 millilitres of the drained liquid.

In the same pot melt the butter over medium heat, add the flour and whisk to a roux, cooking about two minutes until it loosens to a saucy consistency.

Add about 50 millilitres of the milk and stir vigorously until fully incorporated, then a quarter of the remaining milk, then a quarter of the pumpkin juice.

Keep alternating milk and pumpkin juice until a creamy velvety bechamel forms, then stir in the cream and finally the vanilla seeds.

Layer the drained pumpkin evenly in the bottom of a deep-walled baking dish, tamping lightly and smoothing the top so the bechamel cannot seep below.

Spoon or ladle the bechamel over the pumpkin, avoiding any browned bechamel stuck to the pot, and flatten it with a spatula.

Bake at 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to an hour, until deeply golden and browned.

Rest at least 30 minutes before serving.