Makesabout 3 1/4 cups
- Active time:25 min
- Start to finish:10 1/2 hr
October 2001
Look for sugar pumpkins and cheese pumpkins—we find they make the tastiest purée for pies, tarts, and cakes.
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2
lb
fresh pumpkin, cut into roughly 4- by 5-inch wedges
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1
tablespoon
unsalted butter, melted
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Special equipment:
cheesecloth
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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Brush flesh sides of pumpkin wedges with butter. Arrange, flesh side down, in a large roasting pan and cover pan tightly with foil. Bake, turning pieces after 1 hour, until flesh is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 2 hours. Remove foil and cool pumpkin in pan until it can be handled.
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Discard any liquid that may have accumulated and scoop out pumpkin flesh, then purée pulp in batches in a food processor. Transfer to a large sieve or colander lined with several layers of cheesecloth set over a large bowl. Drain purée, chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap, 8 hours or overnight.
Cooks’ note: Purée keeps, covered and chilled, 2 days or, frozen in an airtight container, 2 months.
