Roasted Pumpkin Puree

Pure pumpkin flavor and you control the salt level.  Its also making the most of  your pumpkins after you carve them for jack-o-lanterns.  Quite easy and very nutritious. All the fiber and no fillers (some brands use cheap squash to keep the cost of their puree down) or nasty additives.  This puree can be used interchangeably with the canned stuff cup for cup. Sounds like a win to me.

As this is a low acid, low salt recipe you do need to do a water bath to ensure your puree is safe to store and consume down the road.

Roast Pumpkin Puree

• 3 medium (3 lb +/-) cinderella pumpkins
• cooking oil spray
• salt
• Boiling water

Cut pumpkin in to 1-2" wide strips along the circumference.  Trim off the outer shell leaving only the pulp. Cut into 1' cubes.  Spritz your baking sheet with cooking oil spray, add pumpkin in a single layer.

Heat oven to 350F, use convection cycle if you have it for more even roasting.  Roast 45-60 minutes until the largest pieces are fork tender and break easily when pierced with a fork.

In large blender jar add 4-5 c roasted pumpkin.  Add 1/2C boiling water and 1/2t salt.  Blitz on puree until smooth, add more water if needed to get the right consistency so it all blends.  Pour into sterile canning jars, filling to within 1/2" of top of jar.  Loosely place on lid and sealing ring.  Repeat until all pumpkin has been pureed.

Place jars in water bath and simmer in boiling water that comes within an inch of the top of the jars.  Treat for 60 minutes.  Remove jars from boiling water bath and screw lids down tight.  Make sure the lids "pop" to guarantee a good safe seal  Cool completely. Store in fridge for up to a year, 6 months in a cool dark place.