4 small acorn squash

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 cup cooked long-grain white rice (½ cup raw rice)

½ cup wild rice, boiled in 2 cups water for 30 minutes, then drained

¼ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup grated ricotta salata cheese

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Clean squash, removing the point at the bottom to use as a lid and removing all seeds and fibers.

Place squash on a rimmed baking sheet, season lightly with salt and pepper, and drizzle each squash with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove from oven.

In the meantime, prepare the stuffing, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion sweats but does not brown, about 4 minutes.

Add cooked white rice and cooked wild rice to the skillet and stir to combine.

Add chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and ricotta salata and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stuff each acorn squash with about 1/4 of stuffing mixture, packing stuffing into squash cavity and mounding it slightly.

Drizzle each squash with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and bake until squash is tender and stuffing browns slightly, about 40 minutes.