1. Roasting the Squash
Set your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub the squash thoroughly to remove any dirt. Slice it lengthwise down the middle and scoop out the seeds. Brush the interior and exterior with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on the prepared sheet. Roast for 30–40 minutes, until a fork easily pierces the flesh—start checking at 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. While the squash roasts, prepare the breadcrumb topping and filling.
2. Prepare the Breadcrumb Topping
In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, thyme, and oil. Stir with a fork until everything is evenly coated. Set aside.
3. Cook the Rice
Rinse the rice under cold running water using a fine-mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the rice and toast, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until it turns golden. Add water, butter, a bay leaf, and salt. Cover and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat for 12–15 minutes. Remove from heat but keep covered; let it steam while you finish the remaining steps.
4. Cook the Pancetta
In a medium sauté pan, cook the pancetta over medium to medium-low heat for about 20 minutes to render the fat. Once crispy, scoop out the pancetta and set aside for later use in the filling. You should have about 2 tablespoons of rendered fat remaining in the pan.
5. Sauté the Vegetables
To the pan with the rendered fat, add mushrooms, onion, garlic, oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and chopped fennel seeds. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the mushrooms shrink and the onions become translucent.
6. Combine Tomatoes and Rice with Vegetables
Add cherry tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the mushroom mixture. Stir to coat. Continue cooking for 7–10 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down. Then stir in the cooked rice, reserved pancetta bits, and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired. Remove from heat.
7. Stuff the Squash
Fill each squash half halfway with the rice-vegetable mixture—about ¼ cup per half. Crumble goat cheese (chèvre) evenly over each half. Spoon the remaining filling on top of the cheese. Finally, sprinkle each half with the prepared panko breadcrumb mixture.
8. Broil the Stuffed Squash
Switch the oven to broil. Place the filled squash halves under the broiler for 1–3 minutes, until the filling is warmed through and the panko topping turns a deep golden brown.
