The pumpkin spent a few weeks there on the table, and I even dusted it a couple of times. Yesterday, I decided that I was tired of it and that it would be better as a batch of pumpkin puree.
Roasting a pumpkin and turning it into pumpkin puree for recipes is really easy!
Normally, I cut the pumpkin in half along its imaginary equator to roast it. This was a really big pumpkin, though, so I cut it into quarters.
Scoop out the seeds and guts and place the pieces rind-side up on a baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees in the center of the oven ...
... till the pumpkin pieces are fork tender and begin to slump. This took an hour and fifteen minutes with my pumpkin.
When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the pulp from the rind. I put the pulp into a large bowl and used my immersion blender to whirl it smooth.
I misjudged the amount of pulp at first, and put it into a bowl that was too small.
Extra dirty dishes aren't a problem with Ruby and Petal around. Besides, pumpkin is good for them.
The results: six one-pound containers of pumpkin puree.
Pumpkin pies for next week and afterward are a certainty ... and the other day I saw someone on TV making pumpkin bread pudding that sounded really good. For now, these containers of puree are safely stored in the freezer till they're needed.