Pumpkin contains many nutrients that the body needs, so it must be included in the diet of a person who monitors health and adheres to the principles of proper nutrition. To make the pumpkin tasty and retain the maximum of nutrients, it is best to bake it in the oven. There are several baking methods.
It is necessary
- Pumpkin baked with vegetables and apples
- - 500 g of pumpkin pulp;
- - 2 peeled white turnips;
- - 1 peeled small rutabaga;
- - 2 medium apples with firm pulp;
- - 2 tablespoons of olive oil;
- - ½ cup dried cranberries;
- - 1 tablespoon of whiskey;
- - 1 tablespoon of butter;
- - ½ cup pumpkin seeds;
- - a pinch of cayenne pepper;
- - salt, freshly ground black pepper.
- Pumpkin fries
- - 500 g of pumpkin pulp;
- - 2 teaspoons of cornstarch;
- - 2 teaspoons of olive oil;
- - 1 teaspoon of paprika;
- - 1 teaspoon of garlic powder;
- - 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese;
- - ½ cup freshly chopped parsley;
- - ½ teaspoon of medium-ground sea salt.
Instructions
Step 1
How to choose a pumpkin for baking
While any pumpkin can be baked, not all of them will be equally delicious. Giant pumpkins look attractive, but their taste and texture leave a lot to be desired. They have too thick peel, little pulp, and it is stringy and watery, and they also have too many fibers and seeds. Pumpkins weighing from a kilogram to three are more suitable for baking. They are sweeter, more aromatic, their flesh is dense, juicy and silky, there is a lot of it, moreover, they are easier to cut. It is best to choose a nutmeg pumpkin variety. It is normal if the peel of the vegetable looks a little dull, as long as it does not have dents and spots, including small ones. When buying, give preference to those specimens that are slightly heavier than their "brothers" - they have more pulp. Pay attention to the fact that the "tail" of the pumpkin is intact, not broken off. If the stem of the pumpkin is roughly broken off, the vegetable can begin to rot rapidly.
Step 2
How to prepare pumpkin for baking
Wash the pumpkin under warm running water to remove dirt and debris. Wipe dry with paper towels and place on a cutting surface. With a sharp wide-blade knife known as a chef's knife, cut off the top along with the stem. Divide the pumpkin in half. Remove fibers and seeds. It is most convenient to do this with a metal spoon with a sharp edge. Pumpkin seeds can be washed and made into a delicious snack, so don't throw them away.
Step 3
You can bake pumpkin halves. It will take about 60-90 minutes. Roasting the sliced pumpkin takes up to 40 minutes. The quickest way is to bake a pumpkin cut into cubes or sticks. The vegetable will become soft in about 20 minutes.
Step 4
Pumpkin baked with wedges
Cut the prepared pumpkin into 4-5 centimeters thick slices. Place each wedge, skin side down, on a baking sheet lined with foil or baking parchment. There should be 2-3 centimeters between the slices so that they do not stick together and the heat can do its job.
Using a cooking brush, brush the pulp with vegetable oil. Sunflower, olive, rapeseed, grape seed oil and pumpkin seed oil are suitable. If you want to make mashed potatoes from pumpkin pulp, which can be stored and then used to make soups, pies, muffins, then it is better not to season the vegetable with anything, but if you plan to serve pumpkin immediately, as a side dish or dessert, then it's time to give it additional shades of taste.
Step 5
Herbs such as oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, and a mixture of these go well with pumpkin. Use dried herbs, not fresh ones. Also, pumpkin can be seasoned with cumin seeds, paprika, curry, ground ginger, nutmeg, do not forget about salt. "Sweet" pumpkin is seasoned with cinnamon, ground cloves, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup and citrus zest.
Step 6
Place the baking sheet with pumpkin in the oven preheated to 200 ° C. Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking doneness with the tip of a knife or fork. Remove the finished pumpkin from the oven and let it cool slightly. The peel from the baked pumpkin is very easy to remove.
Step 7
Pumpkin baked in slices
To bake a pumpkin in slices, you should not only chop it, but also cut off the rind from the slices. The further procedure may differ from baking larger pieces only by the cooking time. But if you want, you can complicate the task and prepare a more intricate dish from the vegetable. Sliced pumpkin can be mixed with other vegetables such as potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, onions. Pumpkin pulp goes well with apples, raisins, dried cranberries. And even with both at the same time.
Step 8
Pumpkin baked with vegetables and apples
Cut apples, pumpkin, rutabagas and turnips into equal cubes. Place on a baking sheet with tall boots, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and stir well. Bake in an oven preheated to 220 ° C for about 15 minutes, turning the mixture several times.
Step 9
Soak dried cranberries in ¼ cup boiling water, add a little whiskey. Melt the butter in a skillet and saute the pumpkin seeds over medium heat until they crackle slightly. Season with salt and cayenne pepper, shake and remove from heat. Place the baked slices in a deep bowl, add the cranberries and stir. Serve sprinkled with toasted seeds.
Step 10
Pumpkin fries
To make fake pumpkin fries, cut the prepared vegetable flesh into strips and soak in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to 10-12 hours.
Step 11
Drain and pat the pumpkin slices dry with paper towels. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, preheat the oven to 220 ° C.
Place the pumpkin straws in the zip bag, add the cornstarch and shake the bag several times so that the whole vegetable pieces are covered with the starch. Transfer to a deep bowl and drizzle with olive oil, season with paprika and garlic powder. Stir well with your hands so that the oil and spices are well distributed over the pumpkin straw.
Step 12
Arrange the pumpkin slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in the pre-prepared oven for 10-15 minutes, until the straws are golden brown and golden. While the pumpkin is baking, combine the chopped parsley, sea salt, and grated Parmesan. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle with the prepared mixture. Serve with aioli sauce.
