Fresh Pumpkin Puree Food

FRESH PUMPKIN PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line one baking sheet with foil and set aside.
• Line another baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
• Rinse dirt off the outside of the pumpkins and pat dry with a clean towel.
• Cut pumpkins in half, vertically, with a large knife.
• Scoop out seeds and pulp from each pumpkin half with a large spoon, separating the seeds and the pulp.
• Discard pulp and save the seeds for another use if desired.
• If saving the seeds, wash them thoroughly and spread them onto the baking sheet lined with paper towels and allow to dry. ( I bake them later for a snack).
• Place pumpkin halves cut side down onto the foil lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until flesh is tender.
• Cool the pumpkin halves until they are cool enough to handle.
• Scoop out pumpkin flesh and place it in a food processor.
• Puree flesh until smooth.
• Line a strainer with either cheesecloth or coffee filters.
• Pour puree into the strainer.
• Place strainer on top of a bowl large enough to catch the juices and place both in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
• Discard the juices in the bowl and use the puree for pies, biscuits, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, dog treats and more!

PUMPKIN PUREE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Slice a small piece of skin off the one side of the pumpkin so when laid on its side, the pumpkin will lay flat without rolling. Remove the stem and split the pumpkin in half from top to bottom, using a large cleaver and a mallet. Scoop out the seeds and fiber with a large metal spoon or ice cream scoop. Cut the fibers with kitchen shears if necessary. Reserve seeds for another use.
• Sprinkle the flesh with kosher salt and lay the halves, flesh side down, on a parchment paper-lined half sheet pan. Roast until a paring knife can be easily inserted and removed from the pumpkin, 30 to 45 minutes. Test in several places to ensure doneness.
• Remove the half sheet pan to a cooling rack and cool the pumpkin for 1 hour. Using a large spoon, remove the roasted flesh of the pumpkin from the skin to the bowl of a food processor. Process until the flesh is smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

PUMPKIN PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Cut the pumpkin in half, stem to base. Remove seeds and pulp. Cover each half with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven, foil side up, 1 hour, or until tender.
• Scrape pumpkin meat from shell halves and puree in a blender. Strain to remove any remaining stringy pieces. Store in the freezer in freezer safe bags.

FRESH PUMPKIN PURéE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Brush flesh sides of pumpkin wedges with butter. Arrange, flesh side down, in a large roasting pan and cover pan tightly with foil. Bake, turning pieces after 1 hour, until flesh is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 2 hours. Remove foil and cool pumpkin in pan until it can be handled.
• Discard any liquid that may have accumulated and scoop out pumpkin flesh, then purée pulp in batches in a food processor. Transfer to a large sieve or colander lined with several layers of cheesecloth set over a large bowl. Drain purée, chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap, 8 hours or overnight.