Fresh Pumpkin Puree

Yields approximately 2 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree per 2 pumpkins, depending on the size of the pumpkins used.

Time:
Active Prep- 25 minutes
Bake time- 45 minutes
Cooling/draining- 2-3 hours

You will need:
2 medium sized pie pumpkins
(We used New England Sugar Pie Pumpkins, seeds available from rareseeds.com)
Cookie sheet(s)
Scoop or large spoon
Blender
Cheesecloth or flour sack towel
Mesh strainer
Large bowl

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash and dry pumpkins and split each pumpkin in half.

2.) Remove seeds and stringy pulp. (The seeds can be saved, cleaned, and roasted later.) Place halved pumpkins face down on the cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the skin is easily pricked with a fork.

3.) Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

4.) Using a scoop or large spoon, remove the pumpkin flesh from the skins. (Don’t worry if it seems stringy, this is normal.) One pumpkin at a time, place this scooped flesh into the blender and process until smooth.

5.) Once all the pumpkin is blended smooth, place a mesh strainer inside a large bowl. Line the mesh strainer with cheesecloth or a clean towel. Pour pumpkin puree into the cloth. At this time, you can either allow the puree to drain on its own for several hours, or you can squeeze the liquid out gently to speed up the process.

6.) The puree is ready once it can easily retain its shape when squeezed or molded. The volume will be reduced by approximately half. (I was able to drain almost 1.5 cups of liquid from each whole pumpkin, leaving abou.) Pumpkin puree cannot be safely canned, even under pressure, due to its density. However, it can be frozen for several months or stored under refrigeration for up to a week.