Stewed Pumpkin or Squash for Pies
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Cut the pumpkin or squash in half and remove the seeds.
Slice it into thick pieces, pare the outside, and cut into small pieces.
Stew
Place it in a large pot or saucepan with a small amount of water.
Cook slowly until tender.
Move the pot to the back of the stove to prevent burning and cook slowly, stirring often, until the moisture is dried out and the pumpkin looks dark and red.
This process takes at least half a day for a rich flavor.
Finish
Once cool, press through a colander.
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 bulk of the filling, giving the pie its body and flavor once cooked down.
- Water
- Provides a little initial moisture so the pumpkin can soften before the liquid cooks off.
The step that matters
Stewing slowly at the back of the stove. Cooking low and stirring often keeps the pumpkin from scorching while water evaporates and sugars concentrate, which deepens color and flavor. Too much heat can burn the bottom before the pumpkin is properly reduced.
“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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