Cooking Pumpkin

*This recipe is a great filling for pumpkin pie.
The easiest way to cook pumpkin is to slice in half, scoop out the pumpkin seeds andrub the flesh with olive oil so it does not stick so easily to pan and place on a sheet pan flesh side down and cook for about an hour. If the pumpkin is watery, place the cooked pumpkin in a pan and bring to a slow simmer until it cooks down a bit (20-40 minutes.)

Reserve the seeds and pull away most of the flesh from the seeds, The easiest way to do this is rub the seeds between your fingers, separating them from the flesh. Drizzle the seeds with a bit of olive oil, and spread out evenly on a baking pan. Use any spice you like to flavor your pumpkin seeds. Stir the seeds around with your fingers until they’re all well covered in oil and spice. Bake in 350 oven for 15-20 minutes and then toss with a spatula. The pumpkins seeds are cooked when they are lightly browned and a just crispy, some may still be a little bit wet which is fine, as they will continue to cook.

Photo courtesy Michelle Pellot.