Pumpkin Recipes

These pumpkin recipes are easy to make - and kids will love them. Pumpkins are sweet and delicious as well as very nutritious. By roasting the pumpkin, you'll get a lovely caramelized flavor. Herbs and spices work well with the sweetness of pumpkin.

Pumpkin and Feta Parcels

2 cups pumpkin, chopped into pieces
salt
oil
1 6-ounce package feta cheese
1 large California leek, sliced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 package frozen pastry sheets
1 egg

Rinse and dry pumpkin. Cut into small 2" pieces. Sprinkle a little salt and olive oil. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes at 350F degrees until tender. Cool and remove pumpkin from skin.

In a skillet, add about 1 tablespoon oil and cook leeks until tender.

In a bowl, mix together pumpkin, feta cheese, leeks, and rosemary.

Lay out pastry sheets and cut in round shapes using a cookie cutter or large glass jar. Fill pastries with a spoonful of pumpkin mixture. Fold over and seal with egg.

Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown.


Gnocchi, or Italian dumplings, are delicious and flavorful when made with roasted pumpkin.

Pumpkin Gnocchi

1 1/2 pounds pumpkin, chopped into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried basil)
Parmesan cheese for topping

Rinse and dry pumpkin. Cut into small 2" pieces. Sprinkle a little salt and olive oil. Roast in oven for about 50 minutes at 350F degrees until tender. Cool and remove pumpkin from skin then mash.

In a bowl, combine mashed pumpkin, flour, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix until it becomes sticky and pasty. Form into balls and place on a plate or cookie sheet.

Boil water in a stockpot. Carefully place about 12 of the gnocchi balls into the water one at a time using tongs. The balls may stick to the tongs so place the tongs into the water and use a table knife to push the balls into the water. They will sink to the bottom, then rise to the top. Keep the water boiling and let balls cook for about 2-3 minutes once they have all risen to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and place straight into pasta bowls, 12 at a time. Do this until all the balls are cooked (should make about 36 balls).

In a saucepan, heat butter and add basil. Pour over gnocchi. You can top with a little Parmesan cheese.

More pumpkin recipes coming soon!