Despite the abundance of pumpkin-flavored foods at every turn, we spend surprisingly little time handling actual pumpkins. After all, as proponents of “homemade is best,” an apple pie starts with apples, a cherry pie starts with cherries. But a pumpkin pie starts with…a can of pumpkin purée?
Using prepared pumpkin purée is more than a matter of convenience. With the huge range of pumpkins and hard-skinned squash available regionally, it can be a challenge to find the ideal variety of pumpkin to use for a baking-friendly purée: specifically, the sugar pumpkin, sometimes called a pie pumpkin. These are firm and less stringy than some other pumpkin varieties with a good pumpkin flavor.
Of course, you can use other pumpkin or squashes in your pie, but you risk inconsistency with moisture and sweetness levels. Considering pumpkins are sort of… a huge hassle to purée, it is generally considered perfectly acceptable practice to use a high-quality pumpkin purée with no added flavorings or ingredients.
With that said, there are some instances where fresh pumpkin purée can make a big impact, like in savory pasta fillings, risottos, or soups. If you want to start a pumpkin recipe from scratch, here’s how to break down your pumpkin:
- Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the halves into wedges and place in a baking dish. Add a few tablespoons of water, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and roast in a 375°F oven until the flesh is very tender, about 1 hour.
- Scoop the pumpkin flesh away from the skin, mash with a fork, transfer to a colander, and let the pumpkin drain for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator. Set the colander in a bowl to catch the liquid that will drain away.