Homemade pumpkin purƩe is easy to make. The better your pumpkin (or squash), the better your pie (or pumpkin bread, etc.) will be. Smaller pie pumpkins generally have sweeter flesh, and many varieties of winter squash make excellent sweet purƩes.
According to Amy Goldman, author of The Compleat Squash, the Cucurbita pepo variety known as āWinter Luxury Pieā makes a smooth and velvety pumpkin custard. āWhen cut into a wedge on a plate, it holds its shape, color and flavor long after the competition has keeled over and died,ā she says.
IngredientsĀ
1 whole pie pumpkinĀ
InstructionsĀ
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a sharp knife, hack the pumpkin into several large pieces. Donāt bother removing the seeds, because baking the pumpkin will make them easier to remove later. Place the pieces on a jellyroll pan cut-side down. Bake for 30 minutes to an hour. Youāll know the pumpkin is ready when its flesh pierces easily and has begun to slouch.
Allow the pumpkin to cool enough to be able to work with it, and use a large metal spoon to remove the seeds (set them aside for compost or roasting). Scrape the remaining flesh away from the rind and discard or compost the rind. PurƩe the flesh in a blender or food processor, or with a food mill, adding water if necessary to help it blend.
A 2 1/2-pound pumpkin yields about 2 cups of purƩe, or enough for one standard 9-inch pie.
Preserving Pumpkin PurĆ©eĀ
You can freeze pumpkin purĆ©e, but donāt can it! According to the USDA, pumpkin purĆ©eās thickness and acidity, among other factors, prevent it from being safely canned at home, not even in a pressure canner.
Read more: However you cook them, savory pumpkins and squash offer loads of color, flavor and nutrition. Read Best Pumpkin Varieties for CookingĀ to learn more aboutĀ heirloom varieties and their excellent cooking qualities. Also, check outĀ this great Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe, andĀ read Perfect Pie Crust for the best crust recipes, tips and baking instructions.Ā Ā
Photo By Tim Nauman PhotographyĀ
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We've always steamed pumpkin before pureeing and freezing. Would roasting improve its flavor?