The Whole Pumpkin
Oh, what to do with your leftover Halloween pumpkins? Not the jack-o-lanterns but the ones you painted or simply had for decor. No worries, the Jersey Fresh website has it covered with these two recipes—one for roasted pumpkin seeds, a tasty after-school treat, the other for a fresh pumpkin mash that can be used in pumpkin pie or bread/muffin recipes. The really good news is that you can freeze the puree and use in recipes all winter long, including the upcoming holidays.
In just 10 steps (five per recipe), you can use your pumpkins very efficiently. For a video of recipe prep for the pumkin seeds, visit https://findjerseyfresh.com/JerseyFresh/recipes/roasted-pumpkin-seeds. For a video of recipe prep for the pureed pumpkin, visit https://findjerseyfresh.com/JerseyFresh/recipes/jersey-fresh-pumpkin-puree
Jersey Fresh Pumpkin Puree
15-minute prep / 45-minute cook time
2 small, Jersey Fresh sugar/pie pumpkins
1. Cut the pumpkins in half. Scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. Reserve all of the seeds in a separate bowl. Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are free of seeds and pulp.
2. Place the pumpkin halves on a baking sheet and roast in a 350°F.. oven until the pumpkin is forktender, about 45 minutes
3. Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces. You can use a food processor or blender by throwing in a few chunks at a time or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, potato ricer, or through a food mill.
4. Mash or pulse the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water. (Note: If the puree is overly watery, you should strain it over cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer.)
5. You can either use the puree immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like or store it in the freezer for later use. (To store in the freezer, spoon about one cupful of pumpkin into each plastic storage bag. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them.)
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
10-minute prep / 20-minute cook time
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds 4 ounces
1 tbsp. olive oil extra-virgin
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ tsp. of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
1 tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1. Rinse the pumpkin seeds and dry them on a clean kitchen towel.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Place the seeds in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix with a spoon or a spatula until seeds are well coated.
4. Spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast them until golden, 350, stirring them halfway through.
5. Serve immediately—they are perfect when warm!
