Delicate pumpkin puree - the best preparations for the winter

Making pumpkin puree is practically effortless and will seem simple even to the most inexperienced housewife. After all, what could be easier than baking a pumpkin and crushing it well with a blender? However, there are so many options for this puree that you can get confused - especially if you come across them for the first time. The article will tell you about popular recipes for pumpkin blanks for children and adults and reveal a couple of secrets that will help you process the fruits correctly.

Did you know…

Why is pumpkin so good as a blank? It's simple: it's packed full of nutrients. The pulp is high in beta-carotene and vitamin A, as well as potassium and iron, is very low in calories, but contains a lot of healthy fiber. By the way, pumpkin seeds are also very useful and have a vitamin value, so when cooking they can not be thrown away, but dried and also processed. But if you are preparing pumpkin puree for the winter for children, then you should refrain from such an idea - the baby's body may react badly to seeds.

In addition to ordinary pumpkins, there are also "sugar" or "baby pumpkins". These small fruits have a denser, sweeter flesh, are considered less fibrous and have a brighter aroma. Ideal for mashed potatoes.

The mashed pumpkin can be boiled, stewed and baked depending on personal preference. But still, baking is considered the best heat treatment. The fact is that with prolonged heat exposure, pumpkin (like any other vegetable or fruit) loses a significant part of nutrients. And the oven, in comparison with a frying pan and a saucepan, is the lesser of evils: pumpkin puree for the winter will become much healthier, and if you sprinkle the slices with olive oil a little before baking, it will taste better.

If the pumpkin is caught with large and hard veins, then do not try to peel it right away - it is better to send it to the oven along with the peel. After baking, the pulp will easily separate, the main thing is not to get too close to the "body". 

The best for children

If you want to make pumpkin puree for babies to feast on, then there are a number of rules:

1. Be sure to do an allergy test before preparing large portions. It is enough to break a small piece of pumpkin and let the child taste it along with the mixture.
2. Pumpkin categorically contraindicated for those babies who suffer from diseases of the stomach and intestines.
3. Earlier does not mean better: the acceptable age for pumpkin introduction is 6-8 months.
4. Jars must be sterilized as thoroughly as possible.

The recipe for pumpkin puree for babies is quite simple: you only need sugar pumpkin and water.

The pumpkin is completely cleared of seeds and cut into small slices, and then sent to the oven for 40-50 minutes at a temperature of 180-200 degrees.

To prevent the slices from “shrinking” or drying out, pour some water into a saucepan or baking pan. Then the fruit will remain soft, although the surface will be a little astringent, and the mashed potatoes with such a pumpkin will be tender.

It is recommended to wipe the baby puree, not beat it, so you can be sure that all streaks and lumps are removed.

Variations are possible

Everyone cooks pumpkin puree in their own way: the recipe with condensed milk is sweet, or with the addition of a tender squash - almost caviar. Whether it eventually becomes a preservative is a matter of taste.In some cases, the puree can even be deep frozen. Do not be afraid: most experienced housewives agree that "wateriness" after defrosting can be avoided.

If we talk about those versions of mashed potatoes that are classified as dessert ones, then pumpkin and apple puree is in greatest demand. For the winter, such a recipe is suitable for those who adhere to proper nutrition - this is, without exaggeration, the best low-calorie sweetness, and the combination of tastes is almost perfect.

In some cases, they act as usual, the process is similar to making jam: apples with pumpkin are broken, and then cooked over low heat with the addition of a small amount of sugar (3-5 tablespoons are required for 2 kg of fresh fruit). This puree cannot be called a pantry of vitamins, and even more so - dietary, but if you dare, you will get a culinary hit.

There is a healthier way - pumpkin puree without sugar, but with the addition of cinnamon. The fruits are baked (note that the apple takes much less time to cook!), And then whipped with a blender with the addition of cinnamon to taste. By the way, this puree is also suitable for babies, but you need to be extremely careful with cinnamon.

If it seems to you that the puree came out too thick, you can safely dilute it with water, but do not forget to beat well again.

And now we make a 180-degree turn and look at the pumpkin puree for the winter, the recipe for which is simple, but you can use the blank as a side dish for almost any second dish.

It requires only three ingredients - water, some salt and a torpedo pumpkin. The pumpkin is halved and baked as usual, but with a little oil. Then they separate from the peel, beat with salt and, if necessary, add water - always warm!

And if you want to taste pumpkin soup in the cold winter, you will not need to run to the market: you will open a jar (or take a container out of the freezer) and taste the aromas of summer.

Video recipe for pumpkin and apple puree