Ingredients 1 (with meat, complex)

One large watermelon; 1 cup of pre-cooked goat meat (or other meats, shredded); 1/2 cup of half cooked chestnuts (diced); 1 quince (diced); 1/2 cup of pitted dates (chopped); 1/2 cup of pitted prunes (chopped); 1/2 cup of currants; 1/2 cup of pine nuts; 2 onions (finely chopped); 2 cloves of garlic (minced); 2 tbsp of olive oil; 1/2 cup of bulgur (or rice); 1 tsp of cinnamon; 1/2 tsp of allspice; salt and pepper to taste; and fresh parsley and mint (for garnish, chopped).

Ingredients 2 (without meat)

One small round watermelon; 1 cup bulgur wheat or rice; 2 cups vegetable broth (optional); 1 onion (finely chopped); 2 cloves of garlic (minced); 1/2 cup of pine nuts; 1/2 cup currants or raisins; 2 tbsp of olive oil; salt and pepper to taste; handful of fresh parsley leaves (chopped).

Preparation and Cooking

• Cut a small lid off the top of the watermelon, about 1/4 of the way down. Then scoop out the watermelon flesh using a spoon or a melon baller leaving about 1.5-2cm of flesh while keeping the shell intact.

• When preparing the Ingredients 1, soak chestnuts in water overnight. Then exchange the water and boil them for about 20-30 min until they’re soft, and remove their skins to reach the core and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions and garlic and add the pine nuts and continue to sautéing and add the bulgur. Then add the diced quince, chopped dates, prunes and chestnuts, and add enough water to just cover the mixture. Finally, the cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper, and cover the pan and let it simmer until all water is absorbed.
• Just before stuffing the watermelon, add the currants, shredded goat meat, and chopped parsley and mint to the mixture while pressing down lightly to make sure it’s well filled. Replace the top of the watermelon and secure it with toothpicks and place it inside the wood fired oven on a shallow tray to catch any juice that might  escape during cooking.
• Cook the stuffed watermellon at around 150-180°C for about an hour.
• Let the dish cool slightly before serving as in Stuffed Pumpkin dish.

Hints and Comments

• The resulting dish is a beautiful blend of sweet and savory. Note that the watermelon will soften significantly during cooking, and its sweet flavor will become more intense. In addition, the watermelon becomes even sweeter and its texture turns almost jam-like when baked. The sweet, fruity flavor of the watermelon complements the savory, aromatic filling. The bulgur or rice absorbs some of the watermelon juice, making it flavorful and moist.
• A sweet melon can also be prepared and stuffed as described above, but almonds, pistachios and raisins, may also be included in the recipe.