homemade pumpkin puree is really easy to make, cheap and tastes extraordinary!
pumpkin puree
1 pumpkin (or two or three, whatever will fit into your oven!)
i use hokkaido pumpkins because they have a nice smooth, buttery taste.
ask at your local farmer's market or supermarket which ones they can recommend for cooking and baking.
now that you have your pumpkin, cut off the top and bottom parts with the stems on them.
then cut the pumpkin in half.
you will see lots of seeds and stringy innards.
remove these with a spoon.
now cut the pumpkin halves in half, and those again in half.
you should have ... ehm ... 8 pieces.
now pop them in your 175 degree celcius hot oven and cook them for around 45 minutes.
they should be a lot softer then.
let the pumpkin pieces cool off a bit, then remove the skins and any dried or dark spots with a small knife or peeler.
good for you, you are only one more step away from having your very own pumpkin puree!
take the pumpkin and place in your food processor or blender.
press pulse or start and watch a beautiful orange mush develop before your eyes.
if your pumpkin is watery, strain mixture.
and if your pumpkin is quite compact, then add a few tablespoons of water at a time, until you've reached the desired consistency.
freeze extra puree for future use.
voilà!