Baking with Fresh Pumpkin

            Cut the pumpkin in half and discard the stem and stringy pulp.

 

           

 

In a shallow baking dish, place the two halves face down and cover with foil

 

Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 1½ hours for a medium-sized pumpkin, or until tender.

            Once the baked pumpkin has cooled, scoop out the flesh and run it through your food processor.

If your pumpkin puree looks a little watered down you can hang it over your sink in several layers of cheesecloth. If you want to make the puree smoother, try putting it through a sieve. However I  use mine with out the sieve or cheesecloth.

          

            Most will tell you than the best pumpkin to make pies with is called a sugar pumpkin. But I find that the jack-o-lantern works just as well, if you pick the pumpkin in the 8 to 10 pound range. The larger pumpkins have too much fiber and can be stringy.  Also the sugar pumpkin is raised for sweetness AKA sugar contain.