Pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup, pumpkin scones... is your head spinning yet? Now that it's October, it's officially pumpkin season! If you have a list of seasonal recipes you're just dying to dive into, why not try your hand at making your own pumpkin puree. The canned stuff is fine, but the flavor from freshly roasted and pureed pumpkin is out of this world. And it's so easy to make. BONUS: We have a ton of local squash and pumpkins from Mendenhall Farm right here in Moscow.
Now, let's be clear- not all pumpkins are created equal. While you can roast and puree any old pumpkin, you want to make sure that for cooking and baking you use sugar pumpkins. They're smaller and have a sweeter and more flavorful flesh. To make your own pumpkin puree you will need: 2 pie pumpkins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice pumpkins in half and scoop out the seeds. Save them for later if you like roasted pumpkin seeds! Place pumpkins skin side down on a baking sheet and place in oven for about 45 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Scoop flesh out of skin and blend in a food processor until smooth. You can preserve pumpkin puree by processing a water bath or refrigerate for up 3 days or freeze for up to six months.
