Pumpkin Puree
You might be asking yourself, “why would I make my own puree?” I’m telling you - this will make all your favorite pumpkin recipes x100 better. Be careful when choosing a pumpkin though, you definitely want a type made for cooking.
I’ve tried a lot of different pumpkins, but the best I’ve found is kabocha squash. It comes in green and orange; both have the same flavor, but I still prefer the green (obviously). The most common cooking pumpkin you’ll find is a sugar pumpkin, sometimes called a pie pumpkin. These are great but have more moisture than kabocha, which can affect your recipes.
Makes: 4-5 cups
Prep time: 5 minutes
Bake time: 60 minutes
from Udell’s Kitchen
Ingredients
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 kabocha squash or pie pumpkin
Instructions
Preheat oven to 4oo°
Cut stem off pumpkin, then cut pumpkin in half lengthwise.
Scoop out seeds and strings, then rub 1 teaspoon salt on the inside of each half.
Place cut side down on cookie sheet, bake in pre-heated oven for 60 minutes or until skin is soft.
Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
Scoop out flesh from the inside, making sure not to get any skin. Add to food processor, and process on high for 3 minutes.
If using sugar pumpkin, leave puree in a large strainer over a bowl for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.
Store in refrigerator for one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Quick Hit
The only real tip here is to be careful when splitting your pumpkin. I don’t have a butcher’s knife, so I use an old chef’s knife and a hammer - it gets the job done safely.
Be careful folks, take your time and keep your fingers.