food

Break It Down: Pumpkin

We know you've heard of a pumpkin spice latte, but have you ever wondered what you can REALLY do with a pumpkin? Wonder no more. From cake to chips, panna cotta to hummus, the pumpkin recipe possibilities are endless.

food

Break It Down: Pumpkin

We know you've heard of a pumpkin spice latte, but have you ever wondered what you can REALLY do with a pumpkin? Wonder no more. From cake to chips, panna cotta to hummus, the pumpkin recipe possibilities are endless.

Supplies

  • 1.7-2kg Pumpkin
  • Pumpkin Panna Cotta:
  • 250g pumpkin flesh
  • 4 sheets gelatine
  • 150ml whole milk
  • 400ml double cream
  • 30g caster sugar
  • 20g maple syrup
  • Pecan granola, to serve
  • Blackberries, to serve
  • Pumpkin Cake:
  • 300g self-raising flour
  • 300g light muscovado sugar
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 200g butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 375g (peeled weight) pumpkin flesh, coarsely
  • grated
  • To ice;
  • 150g cream cheese
  • 150ml double cream
  • 75ml maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • Pumpkin Hummus:
  • 500g pumpkin flesh, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 garlic cloves, skin on
  • 5 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp hot smoked paprika
  • Olive oil, to garnish
  • Fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish
  • Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
  • Pitta breads, toasted, to serve
  • Roasted Curried Pumpkin Seeds:
  • Seeds from 1 large pumpkin
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp medium curry powder
  • 1 tsp kashmiri chilli
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
  • Pumpkin Skin Crisps:
  • Skin from 1 large pumpkin
  • Hot smoked paprika
  • Salt

Steps

  1. Panna Cotta: Steam the pumpkin until soft, blitz until smooth and the strain through a fine sieve to remove the fibres.
  2. Add the sheets of gelatine to a bowl of cold water and soak for 5 mins.
  3. Add the pumpkin purée, milk, cream along with with the sugar and maple syrup. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Take the gelatine out of the cold water and squeeze out the excess, then add to the milk mixture. Stir until completely dissolved. Pour into four ramekins and place in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours.
  4. To serve, turn each ramekin upside-down onto a serving plate. If the panna cotta won't drop out, carefully dip the ramekin in a bowl of warm water to loosen it.
  5. Cake: Heat oven to 180 C / fan 160 C. Grease and line a 30 x 20cm baking tin with baking parchment. Put the flour, sugar, spices, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and stir to combine.
  6. Brown the butter in a saucepan until nutty and golden, then set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Once cool to the touch, beat the eggs into the melted butter, add the vanilla then mix into the dry ingredients until well combined. Stir in the pumpkin and then pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  7. For the icing, beat all the ingredients together in a bowl until thickened and place into the fridge until needed.
  8. When the cake is cool, ice, and cut into squares.
  9. Hummus: Heat up the oven to 220 C / 200 C fan. Line a baking tray with a piece of baking paper. Coat pumpkin in the olive oil and cumin then place on the baking tray along with the garlic cloves. Bake for about 30 minutes – until soft and lightly caramelised.
  10. Transfer pumpkin to a food processor, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and add to the processor too. Add tahini, lemon juice, salt and paprika and blitz until completely smooth - about 5 minutes. If it’s too thick, add a few ice cubes to thin it.
  11. Transfer the hummus onto a plate and using the back of a spoon, create ridges in the hummus. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the coriander and sesame seeds . Serve with toasted pitta.
  12. Roasted Curried Pumpkin Seeds: Preheat the oven to 220 C / 200 C fan. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  13. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the seeds and boil for 10 minutes. Drain. Pat the pumpkin seeds dry on paper towels.
  14. In a bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds with the vegetable oil, curry powder, kashmiri chilli powder, salt and curry leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the coated seeds evenly on the lined baking tray. Roast for 20 minutes, turning the seeds half way through then add the coconut, mix together, and place back into the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until crispy. Remove the seeds from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature and serve.
  15. Pumpkin Skin Crisps: Place the peeled kin in a dehydrator and dehydrate or pop in a low oven at 100 C / 80 C fan and dehydrate overnight until crisp and completely dry. Sprinkle liberally with salt and hot smoked paprika then they’re ready to use. Store in an air tight container.