Pumpkin Squash Recipes

PUMPKIN (SQUASH) SOUP

Steps:

• In a pot, melt the butter and add the butternut squash, potatoes, and salt and black pepper. Saute for a few minutes. Add the vegetable broth, and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes and squash are fork tender.
• With a hand blender, puree the squash mixture to the desired consistency, and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook for an additional minute.
• Remove the soup from the heat. Finish with the freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, and a drizzle of truffle oil. Serve immediately.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F and line or grease a rimmed half-sheet pan.
• Cut the butternut squash into 1-inch cubes. Toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Roast, stirring once, for about 15 minutes, until just tender. It's ok if the squash is slightly underdone.PRO TIP: To break down a whole butternut squash, trim the top and bottom from the squash. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the squash. Cut the long neck portion into cubes. Then, slice the bulbous bottom portion in half length lengthwise. Scoop the seeds and membrane, then dice each half. This Food52 article breaks the process down well, with photos.
• While the butternut squash roasts, prepare your remaining ingredients.
• Flour, stretch, and press the pizza dough into a half-sheet pan that's been greased with the remaining olive oil and dusted with cornmeal or flour. Dust the pizza dough with flour as necessary to prevent it from sticking. TIP: If you want to save a dish, or only have one half-sheet pan, just wait until the butternut squash is out of the oven. When the sheet pan cools, just re-grease and proceed.
• Sprinkle the mozzarella over the pizza dough. Add the onion, then the roasted butternut squash, followed by the crumbled blue or goat cheese, sage, and rosemary. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bottom of the pizza crust is golden brown. PRO TIP: Place the sheet pan on the bottom rack of the oven. The radiant heat from the oven floor will help brown the bottom of the crust. You could also put the sheet pan directly on top of a pizza stone.
• Drizzle the honey over the pizza. Cut into slices and serve hot.

PUMPKIN OR SQUASH PIE

Steps:

• Cut up the pumpkin or squash, remove seeds, and pare the outside rind. Simmer in a covered saucepan in a small amount of water until tender. Drain water and discard.
• While pumpkin or squash cooks, prepare piecrust.
• Force pumpkin through a sieve or use a food mill. Measure 2 cups puree for each pie. Remainder may be frozen or dried for future use.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Beat eggs and add milk. When blended, add pumpkin, molasses, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon zest, and stir well.
• Roll out piecrust in a 10-inch round circle. Line a 9-inch pie plate, and flute edges as desired.
• Pour into the lined pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 375 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until set. Cool before serving.
• Measure and set aside 1/4 cup flour and 1 tablespoon butter. Rub the remaining butter into the flour. Stir in cold water with a fork.
• Roll dough out on well-floured board with a floured rolling pin, dot with 1/2 tablespoon reserved butter, and sprinkle 2 teaspoons reserved flour. Roll up the dough like a jelly roll. Flour lightly and roll to a 1/4-inch thickness.
• Repeat the butter and flour addition procedure, using up all butter and flour. Cover with plastic wrap and store in a cool place until needed.

HOW TO COOK A PUMPKIN OR SQUASH

Steps:

• THE EASY WAY: Wash outside of fruit, cut in half, scrape out seeds (save for roasting into snacks) and that stringy stuff, place halves face down on a cookie sheet.
• Bake at 300 (or so) until "meat" is tender; discard shells/skin.
• Use meat as called for in pie or cake recipe.
• OR mash or blend meat until very smooth (add a bit of water), heat in a soup pot, and then ladle into clean HOT jars, seal with canning lids, and process in hot water bath or pressure cooker. Label & use for pie filling or cake recipes.
• THE HARD WAY: Cut fruit into spears, remove seeds & stringy fibers, then using a paring knife or peeler, remove skins. Cut into large chunks and cook down in a soup pot to make pie filling or roast with other autumn vegetables (balsamic vinegar & sea salt make a nice marinade!).

CREAMY PUMPKIN AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, sauté onions in butter and oil for 10 minutes. Add pumpkin, squash, broth or stock, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until squash is very tender. Process mixture until smooth with a hand blender or in a food processor. Add half-and-half and reheat slowly over low heat: add remaining salt to taste. Top servings with Gruyere cheese and croutons, if desired.

PUMPKIN-SQUASH

Steps:

• Cook pumpkin or squash in the water for 30 minutes. Scrape out flesh. It will instantly turn into a puree. Thoroughly drain through a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve liquid for another use. Transfer to an oval dish.
• Whisk eggs into squash. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until combined well, scraping edges and bottom of dish.
• Cover tightly with microwave-oven plastic wrap. Cook at 100 percent power in a 650- to 700-watt oven for 5 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam.
• Uncover and stir well. Smooth mixture into an even layer. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam.
• Remove from oven. Uncover. Cut into slices and serve warm.