Now that Halloween is a week past, you may find yourself with some extra pumpkins on hand. While they certainly could be thrown in the compost bin or given to the local squirrels to munch upon, if you did not carve your pumpkin, why not roast it? If you have uncarved pumpkins, or even ones that were painted with non-toxic paint (washable is even better) take a few hours one day and roast the pumpkin to turn into purée for those Thanksgiving pies. It is essential that you not try this with carved pumpkins that are over a day old cut, as bacteria can thrive and ruin your batch of pumpkin. Typically smaller pumpkins are sweeter, but larger pumpkins can be roasted too.
Start off by washing the skin of your pumpkin with a bit of soap and water and rinse well, especially if your kids had painted them. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with foil for easy clean up later. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and "guts" into a bowl. If your kids are around, cleaning out the pumpkin is a fun job to give them as it is messy and the seeds and guts feel squishy. Once cleaned out, you can either slice the pumpkin halves into smaller pieces or just lay the pumpkin halves down on your pan. For larger pumpkins, cutting the halves into quarters or smaller may aid with the cooking process timing. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan and cover with foil. Roast the pumpkin for about one and a half hours, or until tender. Check for doneness by stabbing the pumpkin's skin. It should be soft.
Let the pumpkin cool enough to be handled and then scrape the flesh away from the skin. In batches, purée the pumpkin in a food processor and store in approximately two cup sized portions. A ricer is also another handy kitchen tool for puréeing the pumpkin. If you have plans for using the pumpkin purée within five days, it will keep in the refrigerator. Store it in a clean mason jar or other clean container. To save some for pie baking for Thanksgiving or winter holidays, freeze the two cup portions in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. Before using the purée, pour it into a cheescloth lined strainer and let it sit for an hour or more to drain. Pumpkin purée is very moist and needs to be drained in order for your recipe to turn out well.
There are many recipes using pumpkin purée other than pie. Pumpkin bread, muffins, and pancakes are just a few. However you use your pumpkin purée, be sure to tell your family that you made it fresh, not from a can! And those seeds you sorted out can be used as well. Toasted pumpkin seeds are a great snack.