Pureeing Pumpkins

By Jillh929

Ingredients

• 5-6 pounds sugar pumpkins

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

Properly handled, canned pumpkin works quite well in pies, but you may be curious to start with fresh. Having tried virtually every conceivable method of preparing fresh pumpkin, I have concluded that the following one works best: First, choose one of the smaller pumpkins, sometimes called sugar pumpkins, which are firmer, meatier, and sweeter than those grown for jack-o'-lanterns. Split the pumpkin in half (or in quarters, if it is very large), carve out the stem, and scrape out the seeds and stringy bits. Next, arrange the pumpkin with the rind side down on a lightly oiled roasting pan, cover it tightly with foil, and bake at 325 degrees for 75 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 30 to 45 minutes longer, or until the flesh is extremely soft and yields hardly any moisture when pressed firmly with the back of a spoon. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh free of the rind and mash it to a pulp. An ordinary whisk will serve here; you will be pureeing the pulp when you make the pie, so it isn't necessary to use a food processor at this point. Line a colander with a triple thickness of cheesecloth that has been rinsed in very hot water and thoroughly wrung out. Turn the pumpkin into the colander, wrap the protruding ends of the cheesecloth over the top, and cover with a cake pan topped with a five-pound weight. Put the colander in the sink and let the pumpkin drain for one hour.

You will need at least four pounds of fresh pumpkin -- and I'd recommend five or six pounds, just to be safe -- to make one pound of stewed, mashed, and drained puree.