I have a new obsession - making my own pumpkin puree. I had tried doing my own pumpkin puree years ago, but I had less than admirable results and it made me think that pureeing my own pumpkin wasn't worth the effort. I hadn't thought anything more about until my friend Annie mentioned that she usually thinks less of pumpkin pies made with pumpkin from a can. Her mom apparently makes the best pumpkin pies with her own pumpkin puree. Her comment made me begin to wonder what I was missing out on, dedicated pumpkin lover that I am.For my birthday in October, I received the ultimate in food processors - a Cuisinart. It was soon after this that I began buying little sugar pie pumpkins at the Clean Food in Mount Albert. The first two that I brought home were around the same size but one seemed heavier than the other. The picture above shows the difference in colour between the two pumpkins. The heavier pumpkin ended up being moister and much nicer to puree. The lighter pumpkin seemed to dry out more and was chewier. In the end, they both pureed well, but I now look for heavier pumpkins that I know will be juicier.
To bake your own sugar pumpkins, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the pumpkins in half and place seed-side up on a large baking sheet. Cover the pumpkin halves in tin foil and bake for at least an hour and a half. The pumpkin is ready to take out of the oven when a knife can easily be stuck into the flesh of the pumpkin and it goes right through. About half way through the cooking time, turn the pumpkins over so that they cook evenly. When the pumpkins have cooled enough to handle, clean the seeds out of the pumpkins and peel the skin off with a sharp paring knife. Cut the flesh into chunks and puree in the food processor until smooth. Each pumpkin makes around four cups of puree, give or take.
I called Annie's mom, Janette, to find out how she does her pumpkin puree. She said that she bakes her pumpkins whole in the oven, poking a metal skewer through the pumpkins in several places before baking. We talked about the fact there are sometimes pieces of the pumpkin that stay a little firmer than others. We agreed that turning the pumpkins during baking will minimize the firm bits. Janette freezes her pumpkin in 2 cup portions so that a pie is at her fingertips any time the occasion arises. She also mentioned that she prefers to freeze her pumpkin in chunks instead of freezing the puree. This keeps the pumpkin from getting too wet, therefore keeping the pie from being too wet. When thawing the pumpkin chunks, set the pumpkin in a colander and let the extra moisture drain from the pumpkin. After the pumpkin has thawed she throws it in her blender, along with the rest of the pie ingredients, and blends them together. Voila! A pumpkin pie in no time!
With Christmas coming up, there are lots of opportunities to use fresh pumpkin puree. I just made a pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin custard, both made with fresh puree. I haven't tried making my pumpkin pie with it (yet), but it's on my to-do list. Check your local grocery store to see if they still have sugar pumpkins. You may be in luck. The best part about my conversation with Janette was convincing her to enter her pumpkin pie in the Harrow Fair next year. What a great way to finish a long, hot summer in Essex County!
