How to use pumpkin in pastry

With the arrival of autumn in the kitchen, in both savory and sweet, one of the most used vegetables is the pumpkin, very versatile and also healthy.

There are many varieties of pumpkin, each of these has its own shape, skin, size, its own particular flavor and are used in the kitchen for different preparations.

Which pumpkin is best to use in desserts? 

Starting from the fact that everyone is obviously free to use the variety they prefer and experiment, the most suitable pumpkin is the Delica.

Externally it is small, round, slightly flattened and with a dark green skin.

Its pulp is nice and firm, dry and compact, so it has little water and consequently the flavor is strong. It is creamy and sweet, not stringy, and is therefore excellent for use in desserts such as cookies, baked cakes, cheesecakes, etc.

It is excellent as a pumpkin variety also because it is very easy to find in the supermarket.

The pumpkin season, as we have already said, is autumn, so pumpkins can be found already at the beginning of September and some harvests even end in February. But the beautiful and interesting thing is that once collected or purchased you don't have to use it immediately but can be stored for several months. 

It is necessary to store it whole, with the peel, in a dry environment, away from sources of heat or sunlight and at fairly cold temperatures, so for example in a cellar, or on a sheltered terrace, or in the house if the temperature is not higher at 20 degrees. This way they can be stored for several months. 

When you open the pumpkin, clean it from the skin and pulp, cut it and store it raw in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days. 

As a last option, you can freeze it for up to 12 months, always cleaned, cut into cubes and raw and stored in a container or food bag.

Today we will see how to quickly cook pumpkin to obtain a puree to use in desserts. We won't use the skin to make the puree, but the peel of this pumpkin can be eaten, so to make savory dishes or cook it in the oven in slices you just need to clean the skin well and cook everything together, it's delicious.

With 1500 g of clean raw pumpkin, without peel and seeds, you obtain approximately 1250 g of puree.

Method

Wash the outside of the pumpkin to remove all traces of soil. Place it on a cutting board and cut it in half with a long, sharp knife. 

Using a spoon, remove all internal filaments and seeds. 

Now cut the green skin using the knife. 

Then cut into slices of approximately 1-2 cm and then cut into cubes.

Place them in a glass bowl, cover with cling film. 

Cook in the microwave for about 15 minutes with 700W power.

Then remove the film, be careful of the hot steam that comes out. 

Check the cooking with a fork, if the pumpkin cubes are soft and the fork smash them well then it is cooked.