| Pumpkin Recipes |
Pumpkin Pasta 1 pound fresh pasta or less of dried (she calls for tagliolini, I used whole wheat thin spaghetti) Melt half the butter and add the chopped leek and celery. Peel the pumpkin (or butternut!) and remove seeds and any stringy fibers. (none in these puppies, don't worry.) Cut the pumpkin into thin slices. (or skip the peeling/cutting and roast and puree the whole thing like I did. see notes below for that option.) Add pumpkin in slices or as a puree to leek and celery and stir for a few minutes. Add a little stock and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin slices are cooked through. OR cook for a shorter while if using the puree. Add more stock from time to time if necessary to keep moist. Check the seasoning and add S & P and nutmeg to taste. Process in a food processor (I used my stick blender!). Return to the pan to keep warm. Cook the pasta according to directions, and avoid overcooking. Fresh pasta will only need a few minutes, so add the cream to the sauce as soon as you have thrown the pasta into the boiling water. by Julia and Michelle 4 cups cooked pumpkin Optional garnishes: Lightly brown onions with the olive oil in a thick-bottomed soup pot. Add garlic and cook until it softens but doesn't brown, about 1-2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, broth, and wine, stirring to blend. Add S & P. Cook for 30 minutes or so over medium heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Puree soup. Serve hot with 2-3 T cream in each bowl. Garnish as desired. Serves 8, or 4 with yummy leftovers. Julia's Perfect Pumpkin Pie First the pumpkin: Preheat oven to 350. Cut and remove seeds from one medium sugar pie pumpkin, or 2 small ones. Bake in glass dish cut side down for at least 45 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the entire wall of the pumpkin. Remove from oven and let cool. Next the crust: For best results use a 9 inch pie plate and have foil and beans or pie weights available 4 tablespoons EACH cold unsalted butter and shortening, cut into pieces In a food processor, whirl the dry ingredients together, then drop the butter and shortening pieces into the processor and pulse a few times until the mixture looks crumbly and there are no lumps larger than peas. Mix above mixture in a mixing bowl with 3 tablespoons of the cold water. Add water a ½ tablespoon at a time and mix until the dough is pliable and releases from the sides, but isn't too sticky. After 3 Tablespoons or so it's easiest to use your hands to bring the crumbs into a dough. Don't wash the food processor yet. Refrigerate in waxed paper as a thick disk for at least ½ an hour while you prepare the filling. After about 30 minutes, roll out dough until it's about 13 inches in diameter. Fold it over, and place into a 10 inch pie plate. Trim edge to about ½ an inch beyond the end of the pie plate, tuck in crust and pinch the edge into a design. Lightly place some aluminum foil or parchment paper onto crust, then put in some pie weights to cover the bottom (or dried beans) This step helps to make the perfect pie shell. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. FILLING: 2 cups pumpkin puree In the bowl of the food processor, remove any large clumps from the making of the crust, and add the pulp from the pumpkins, discarding the skin and any renegade seeds. Whirl the pumpkin until thoroughly pureed. Measure out 2 cups of the pumpkin, and reserve the rest for another use. (See soup recipe or add about a cup to any pancake or cookie recipe.) In the bowl of the food processor, mix the pumpkin with the spices and the brown sugar. Remove to a saucepan, and heat until it's lightly bubbling. In the bowl of the food processor, whirl the eggs with the half and half until mixed, then add gently to the warm pumpkin mixture. Cook for 2 or 3 more minutes, stirring a few times. Pour warm pumpkin mixture into the warm pie shell, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until center is still slightly wobbly. Cool on a rack for at least an hour. Enjoy with whipped cream or ice cream. LAURA'S GLAZED PUMPKIN GINGER BARS Adapted from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd and Raboff 1 3/4 cup unbleached flour GLAZE: 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10x15-inch baking pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy then add brown sugar, beating until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin, beating well. Add dry ingredients, mixing until batter is smooth. Stir in nuts and candied ginger. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan. Combine confectioners' sugar with lemon zest. Add lemon juice gradually to confectioners' sugar, adding just enough to give the proper consistency for spreading. Spread on the warm bars. When cool, cut into diamonds or squares and store covered for a day to let flavors blend before serving. Makes 4 dozen. Best Baked Mini-Pumpkins adapted from Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini by Elizabeth Schneider Cut off the caps, scrape out seeds, season, re-cap, and bake. That’s all it takes to give each diner a yummy little pumpkin, custom-flavored. Bake while you roast some meat or vegetables, or both! Or, for an all veggie meal, serve with braised greens and toasty baked grains. Make sure you cook dull skinned (not shiny coating like the supermarkets do just for decoration!). As the Cinderella coaches bake, natural oils surface and they turn as glossy and bright as painted and shellacked decorations. For Each Serving: 1 mini pumpkin 1. Set oven to 350 degrees to 375 degrees, as suits whatever else is roasting. With sturdy sharp knife, cut a square (or 5-6 sided ) cap around pumpkin stem, poking into the heart of the squash to cut the fibers. Pry out the cap. With melon ball cutter or grapefruit spoon, scoop out and scrape interior to remove all seeds and fibers. Trim fibers from cap. 2. Sprinkle spice (or herbs), salt, and pepper inside and tap to distribute. Add butter, juice, and sweetening. Set cap back in opening, but do not press in fully (or it may slip inside). Place in baking dish. 3. Bake until creamy-soft inside, about 30 minutes for small squash, 45 minutes for larger ones. Test with knife tip - it should slide through easily. Let stand 15 to 60 minutes, as convenient. Simple Pumpkin Bread 2 cups mashed/pureed pumpkin or winter squash Mix and make a well in the center: 3 1/2 cups flour Add to the center along with the pumpkin and stir just until all is mixed in: 1 cup oil Then if you like: chocolate chips, optional Pour into 1 large and 2 small oiled bread pans (or muffin tins). Bake at 350 for one hour. (Or less for muffins.) 2 cups cooked & mashed pumpkin Mix ingredients, COOL, and pour into Ice Cream Maker. CRESPOLINI DI ZUCCA Filling: Mix together. Make a French crepe recipe. I use 1/2 whole wheat flour. Cook the crepes Sauce: Sprinkle each crepe with parmesan cheese and pour the sage butter over. I first had these at Cafe Mare in Santa Cruz. The waiter described the Julia's informal pumpkin soup recipe: |