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Dessert

Stewed Pumpkin or Squash for Pies

A stewed pumpkin or squash cooked slowly until dry and dark, then sieved for use in pies.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 2 ingredients
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Stewed Pumpkin or Squash for Pies

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare

  1. Cut the pumpkin or squash in half and remove the seeds.

  2. Slice it into thick pieces, peel the skin, and cut into small pieces.

Stew

  1. Place the pieces in a large pot with a little water and cook slowly until tender.

  2. Move the pot to the back of the stove to prevent burning.

  3. Cook slowly, stirring often, until the moisture is dried out and the pumpkin is dark and red.

  4. Cook for at least half a day to achieve a dry and rich consistency.

Finish

  1. Once cool, press through a sieve.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Pumpkin or squash
Forms the main body of the filling, breaking down into a smooth purée when cooked and sieved.
Water
Adds a little moisture at the start so the pumpkin softens gently without scorching.

The step that matters

Stirring and slow cooking until the moisture is dried out. Pumpkin held on low heat for a long time loses water and deepens in colour and flavour. Heat that is too high or stirring too little can scorch the bottom of the pot, so keep the pot at the back of the stove and stir often.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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