Cooking sugar pie pumpkin is not as complicated as it may seem. These adorable gourds are a fall staple, and for good reason. They’re delicious, versatile, and easy to cook. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to cook sugar pie pumpkin in the oven like a pro, in a rustic, down-home style. Once you master cooking sugar pie pumpkin from scratch, check out my recipe for Bourbon Maple Pumpkin Pie.
Ingredients:
- 1 sugar pie pumpkin
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Materials Needed:
- Baking Sheets
- Food Processor (for pumpkin puree…this is the exact processor I own)
Instructions for cooking sugar pie pumpkin:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise.
- Remove the seeds and stringy flesh from the center of the pumpkin.
- Brush the inside of the pumpkin halves with olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Roast the pumpkin for 45-60 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- Let the pumpkin cool slightly before scooping out the flesh.
Tips:
- Most importantly, choose a pumpkin that is firm and heavy for its size.
- If the pumpkin has a stem, then leave it on. The stem will actually help the pumpkin retain its shape during cooking, plus it gives it that “rustic” feel.
- While you can roast the pumpkin with the skin on, but the skin will be tough and chewy for actually eating it. If you want to remove the skin, wait until the pumpkin has cooled slightly before peeling it.
- However, if you are using the pumpkin flesh for a recipe that requires it to be pureed, then you can roast the pumpkin in a slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours.
What to do with cooked sugar pie pumpkin:
- Pumpkin pie
- Pumpkin bread
- Pumpkin soup
- Pumpkin risotto
- Pumpkin pancakes
- Pumpkin muffins
- Pumpkin cookies
Here are some additional tips for cooking sugar pie pumpkin in a rustic style:
If you have a wood-fired oven, then use it to roast the pumpkin. Not only will the smoky flavor will add a delicious depth to the pumpkin, but it also can be done without electricity adding to the rustic feel. Alternatively, you can roast the pumpkin on a bed of coals. This will also give the pumpkin a slightly charred exterior and a smoky flavor and can even be done while camping!
Tips for using pumpkin in recipes
One simple, but delicious, option is to serve the roasted pumpkin with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of brown sugar. Additionally, you can even add it to a salad with some crumbled bacon and goat cheese. Or you can also use the roasted pumpkin to make a pumpkin puree for a batch of pumpkin pancakes.
But, no matter how you choose to cook it, sugar pie pumpkin is a delicious and versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. So get creative and enjoy!
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Savor the Moment,
Natalie from Deerwood + Jones
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