 |
 Every
autumn, my kids and I head out to a local farm to pick our
jack-o-lanterns. But even though this fall activity is a ritual
for many families, they’re not always sure how to select
a good one, or what to do once they have it home.
I caught up with
Spigola Ristorante’s Executive Chef, John
Kuropatwa, a gourd enthusiast who says “No autumn would
be complete without the great pumpkin.” Here, his suggestions
for picking—and eating—the fall fave.
Selecting. To pick a good pumpkin, opt for one that
is mature, feels firm and has a rich orange color. Avoid ones
that have scars and cracks. You can check the firmness by
pushing on it with your fingernail. If it’s mature, it
shouldn’t scratch with the pressure.
Storing. Once you get the pumpkin home, you can store
it for at least a month in a cool, dry place. If you want
it to keep longer, you can take the pumpkin flesh out of its
skin; it can then be frozen, dried or canned.
Using. There are a variety of uses for pumpkins. Many
people opt to carve them into jack-o-lanterns. Others may
decide to cook with them, which is a good option because they
are loaded with antioxidants, beta-carotene and vitamin A.
They also provide fiber, potassium and calcium. Pumpkins can
be baked whole in the oven (set at 325 degrees, cooking time
varies by size). Just be sure to poke holes in it first and
then, when it’s finished, remove the skin, seeds and
membrane.
Roast the seeds in the oven by tossing with some oil and laying
a single layer on a baking sheet for about 12-15 minutes at
250 degrees. Pumpkin also jazz up pies, pancakes, muffins,
soups and stir fries; just check out your favorite recipe
site for inspiration. If you want to carve your pumpkin but
still get some nutritional benefits, either carve it and toast
the seeds, or opt to decorate it with non-toxic paint so you
can still bake it afterward.
Discarding. If you go the route of creating a jack-o-lantern,
this season, you may be wondering what to do with it once
the festivities have moved on. Composting it makes a great
option if you or someone you know has a garden. You can also
check into donating it to local animal farms, or see if your
city is collecting them for recycling purposes.
For a great pumpkin dish, give this recipe a try:
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- One 3-lb. pumpkin
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 sticks butter
- 12 sage leaves
To make the gnocchi:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the pumpkin in half,
and remove the seeds. Place the halves, cut side up on a
large baking sheet, and drizzle each half with a tablespoon
of oil. Place in the oven and roast until a knife easily
cuts through the flesh of the pumpkin, about 45 mins. to
an hour. Let the pumpkin cool. When cool enough to handle,
scrape the flesh from the skin into the bowl of a food processor.
Puree the pumpkin into a thick paste and place 1 1/2 cups
of the puree into a saucepan along with the salt and nutmeg.
Cook the puree over medium heat until most of the water
in the puree has evaporated and the pumpkin appears dry.
Gradually add a cup of the flour, stirring constantly. Continue
cooking until the mixture forms a ball (5 to 10 minutes).
Remove the pan from the heat. In a small bowl, beat the
egg with a fork until scrambled, and add it into the pumpkin
mixture, along with 1 3/4 cups of the grated cheese. Mix
to combine. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board
and knead it a few times and form into a ball. Cover the
dough with a bowl and allow to rest for about 30 minutes.
After the dough has rested, knead it, adding more flour
if necessary, until the dough feels smooth and not too sticky.
Form a ball and cut the dough into 4 oz. pieces. Keeping
the remaining dough covered under the bowl, roll one piece
into a 1/4- to 1/2- inch-thick rope, dusting the board with
additional flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Cut the
rope into 1-inch-long pieces, using a knife dipped in flour.
Dust a baking sheet with a small amount of flour, and gently
place the cut gnocchi on the sheet in a single layer. Set
aside until ready to cook. Alternately, the gnocchi can
be refrigerated (covered) for up to a day, or frozen on
the sheet. If freezing, after the gnocchi have hardened,
(about 2 hours) they should be loosened from the tray using
a metal spatula and placed in a Ziploc bag. They can then
be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To prepare the sauce:
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the sage and cook for 2 minutes until the butter starts
to brown. Set aside.
To assemble the dish:
Place a 4 qt. pot of water on the stove. Salt the water
and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the water has
come to a boil, add 1/4 of the gnocchi and cook until tender
(2 -3 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked
gnocchi from the pot, and place into the skillet with the
sauce. Repeat until the remaining gnocchi are cooked. When
finished, quickly sauté the gnocchi and sauce for
1 to 2 minutes over medium-high heat, tossing to coat the
gnocchi with the sauce. Remove from the heat, and sprinkle
with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, and serve.
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