Roasted Pumpkin Puree

 Yield: 2 Quarts +

You could pick up a can of pumpkin puree for your next pumpkin pie, bread or soup, but why not make it from scratch. It’s simple to make and delicious to use. A standard Jack-o-Lantern pumpkin can be used, but they are somewhat stringy. For better consistency and flavor, try using a Sugar Pumpkin or a Sweet Meat Squash. The Sweet Meat was introduced by the Gill Brothers Seed Company of Portland, Oregon and is ideal for roasting.  Weighing in at ten pounds or more, you will have enough puree to get you through all of your fall pumpkin recipes.

 Ingredients

 1 Pumpkin or Sweet Meat Squash

 Directions

 Carefully cut the pumpkin (or squash) in half around the middle. Remove the seeds and stringy meat from each half. Discard the stringy meat, but save the seeds if you want to make toasted pumpkin seeds. Place the halves face down on a rimmed sheet pan. Bake at 375 degrees for sixty to ninety minutes, depending on the size of the pumpkin. When the pumpkin feels soft and a knife easily pierces the pumpkin flesh it is done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

 When the pumpkin has cooled enough to handle, pull the skin off the flesh. The flesh can now be pureed in a food processor or food mill. The pumpkin puree can be refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for up to three months.

 The fresh pumpkin puree can be used in any recipe calling for canned pumpkin puree.