Don’t chuck your Halloween pumpkin – turn it into curry, pasta or a chocolate tart - The Independent

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Every October, we spend weeks hunting for the perfect pumpkin, painstakingly carving it into a wonky grin and then, come 1 November, we throw it away. It’s a strange fate for something that is, first and foremost, food. According to Love Food Hate Waste, some 12.8 million pumpkins bought for Halloween decorations are likely to go uneaten. That’s an awful lot of perfectly good dinners ending up in the bin.

And pumpkin deserves better. Beneath that tough orange skin is a remarkably versatile ingredient, with a natural sweetness that lends itself just as happily to fiery curries and comforting pasta dishes as it does to tarts, cakes and puddings. It’s good for you, too. The vibrant flesh gets its colour from beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A to support healthy eyesight and immune function.

Pumpkin also provides fibre, vitamin C and potassium, while its seeds contain protein, healthy fats and minerals including zinc. Not quite a miracle food, but certainly more nutritious than its brief career as a doorstep decoration might suggest.

There are a few things worth knowing before taking a knife to yours. Those enormous carving pumpkins sold in supermarkets are perfectly edible, although their flesh tends to be more watery and fibrous than the smaller, sweeter varieties grown specifically for cooking. Roasting helps concentrate their flavour, while generous seasoning, spices and herbs can make even the blandest specimen worth eating.

The trick is to scoop out the usable flesh before carving, then keep it covered in the fridge and cook it within a couple of days, or freeze it for later. The seeds can be rinsed, dried and roasted with a little oil and salt for an excellent snack.

As for what to make, there’s no need to fall back on yet another bowl of pumpkin soup. Diana Henry folds it into buttery tarts with spinach and Gorgonzola, while Gennaro Contaldo gives the Italian classic parmigiana an autumnal makeover. Tom Kerridge pairs roasted pumpkin with fiery harissa and cooling feta, Atul Kochhar brings warmth with cinnamon, walnuts and pomegranate, and Original Flava turns it into a creamy, jerk-spiced Rasta pasta. There are comforting chicken dinners and, for those with a sweet tooth, a rich salted chocolate tart and a ginger-spiced cheesecake.

Proof that a pumpkin’s best work might just begin when Halloween is over.

“Roasting pumpkin or butternut squash brings out all its natural sugars, which is perfect next to the spicy kick from rose harissa and contrasting cooling feta cheese,” says Tom Kerridge.

Plus, the roasted chickpeas and toasted pumpkin seeds provide a delicious, moreish crunch.

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

2. Place the pumpkin (or squash) and chickpeas on a baking tray. Drizzle with one tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil and the harissa and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands so that both the pumpkin and chickpeas are coated well. Roast on a high shelf in the oven for 20–25 minutes, or until just tender.

3. Meanwhile, for the dressing, in a medium bowl, mix together the mustard, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and the remaining three tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer two tablespoons of the dressing to a small bowl and set aside.

4. Take the tray of pumpkin (or squash) and chickpeas from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

5. Add the spinach leaves to the dressing in the medium bowl and toss gently to coat. Divide the spinach between two plates.

6. Distribute the roasted pumpkin (or squash) wedges and chickpeas over the spinach and crumble over the feta. Sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and trickle over the reserved dressing to serve.

‘Real Life Recipes’ by Tom Kerridge (Bloomsbury Absolute, £26).

“Pumpkins and squash are great in tarts, and it’s the mixture of sweet and salty in savoury pumpkin tarts that really gets me,” says food writer Diana Henry.

1. For the pastry, put the flour, butter and a good pinch of salt into a food processor and pulse-blend the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add just enough very cold water to make the pastry come together. Wrap it in foil or cling film and refrigerate for about half an hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C fan (375F), Gas 5.

3. Cut the pumpkin or squash from top to bottom into broad slices, remove the inner stringy bits and seeds, then peel. Brush lightly with olive oil and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until just tender. Turn off the oven. Put the spinach into a large saucepan, cover and wilt in the water left clinging to it (about four minutes over a medium heat). Drain well and leave to cool.

4. Make the custard by mixing together the eggs, egg yolk, cream and Parmesan. Season well. Roll out the rested pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line six individual tart tins. Chill for another 30 minutes (or just stick them in the freezer for about 15 minutes).

5. Preheat the oven again to 180C fan, Gas 5. Prick the bottom of the tarts with a fork, line them with baking parchment and put baking beans or ordinary dried beans on top. Blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and cook the pastry cases for another five minutes.

6. Cut the pumpkin into small slices, about 10 centimetres long and one centimetre thick. Squeeze every last bit of water from the spinach and chop it up. Season both of these and add some freshly grated nutmeg to the spinach. Spread the spinach over the bottom of the tart cases, then add the slices of pumpkin and dot with nuggets of Gorgonzola.

7. Pour the custard mix over the tarts and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the custard feels only just set when you put your forefinger in the centre of a tart. Leave for 10 minutes to let the custard finish cooking and set a little once you have taken it out of the oven.

‘Roast Figs, Sugar Snow’ by Diana Henry (Aster, £22).

Parmigiana was originally a dish made with aubergines from southern Italy, namely Campania and Sicily, says Gennaro Contaldo.

“Whereas aubergines are abundant during the summer, pumpkin is plentiful during the colder season, especially in rural locations where this autumnal squash provided necessary nutrition for families and so was used in a variety of dishes,” he explains.

1 x 1.4kg pumpkin (you need approx 1kg prepped weight)

1. First, make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry over a medium heat for about five minutes, then add the tomatoes, basil leaves and some salt to taste. Leave to simmer over a gentle heat for about 25 minutes until thickened.

2. In the meantime, peel the pumpkin, cut it in half, then into quarters, remove the seeds and then cut into slices about five millimetres thick. Lightly beat the eggs in a shallow dish with a little salt and pepper. Dust the pumpkin slices with flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the beaten egg.

3. Heat plenty of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan until hot, then add the pumpkin slices (you may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan) and deep-fry for a couple of minutes on each side. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C fan/200C/gas mark 6.

5. Line an ovenproof dish with a little of the tomato sauce, then place some pumpkin slices over the top, sprinkle with a little black pepper, dot around some mozzarella, sprinkle over some grated Parmesan and top with some more tomato sauce. Continue making layers like these until you have finished all the ingredients, ending with a final sprinkling of mozzarella and grated Parmesan.

6. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for a further 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and has taken on a golden brown colour. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

‘Gennaro’s Cucina: Hearty Money-Saving Meals From An Italian Kitchen’ by Gennaro Contaldo (Pavilion Books, £25).

“This is my vegan version of an Iranian classic,” says Atul Kochhar. He calls it “a rich dish with the walnuts, pomegranate flavourings and a hint of cinnamon”.

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Put the pumpkin cubes on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with sunflower oil and lightly dust with ground cinnamon, then shake the tray so all the cubes are well coated. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and the tip of a knife slides through easily.

2. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan, ideally non-stick, over a medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and toast, stirring often, until lightly browned. Leave to cool, then transfer to a food processor and process until finely ground. Set aside.

3. Heat two tablespoons sunflower oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and fry, stirring often, until the onions start to soften. Add the cinnamon bark and continue frying, stirring, until the onions are light brown. Stir in the cumin, turmeric and half a teaspoon ground cinnamon, and stir together for 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas, pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, salt, pepper and a good grating of nutmeg. Increase the heat and bring to the boil, stirring.

4. Add the pumpkin cubes and ground walnuts and return the mixture to the boil, stirring until the stew thickens. Add the orange zest and stir in just enough water to get the thickness you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and if you think it’s too sour, add maple syrup to taste. Stir in the pomegranate seeds and garnish with parsley before serving.

‘Curry Everyday’ by Atul Kochhar (Bloomsbury Absolute, £26).

“Taking inspiration from traditional Rasta pasta which uses cheeses, we’ve created a vegan alternative with our creamy pumpkin sauce,” explain Craig and Shaun McAnuff – the brothers behind Original Flava.

“Roasting the pumpkin with garlic and chilli helps give the sauce a zingy jump, before it’s thickened in the pan to the creamiest sauce you’ll see! Give this one a go – it’s super-quick, easy and delicious.”

1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan/190C/gas 5. Place a sheet of baking parchment on a baking tray. Add the diced pumpkin or squash, garlic bulb and scotch bonnet or chilli, then sprinkle two tablespoons of olive oil and one teaspoon each of salt and black pepper on it and mix together. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes until cooked through and starting to caramelise.

2. Leave to cool for five minutes, then dash into a blender, squeezing the soft garlic cloves out of their papery skins. Add the yoghurt, rosemary and thyme and crumble in the stock cube. Add half the coconut milk, the syrup, salt to taste and a splash of water. Blend together until smooth.

3. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions, then drain.

4. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil until hot. Add the onion and bell peppers and sauté for five minutes until soft, then add in the blended pumpkin sauce, remaining coconut milk and jerk paste. Stir, then simmer, uncovered, for five minutes until thickened.

5. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and combine well to coat. Add a sprinkling of parsley and enjoy.

‘Natural Flava: Quick And Easy Plant-Based Caribbean Recipes’ by Craig and Shaun McAnuff (Bloomsbury, £22).

“If the butter is an effort too far, leave it out, it’s still a good dish,” notes Diana Henry.

“This is also lovely with a generous handful of grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese sprinkled on top, 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time. You don’t have to use only chicken thighs; you can use a mixture of thighs and drumsticks, if you prefer.”

1. Preheat the oven to 190C fan (400F)/gas mark 6.

2. Soak the wild mushrooms in 75ml just-boiled water for 15 minutes.

3. To make the sage butter, mash the butter with the sage and garlic and set it aside (I only chill this if I’m going to keep it for a while).

4. Drain the wild mushrooms, adding their soaking liquid to the chicken stock.

5. Wash the rice in a sieve under the cold tap, until the water runs clear, to remove the excess starch.

6. Put the onion and both the chestnut and dried mushrooms into a 30cm sauté pan or shallow casserole (the width is very important) and sprinkle on the rice (it may not look like much, but it expands, don’t worry). Put the chicken thighs, skin side up, and the pumpkin on top. Sprinkle a little olive oil over the vegetables and chicken and season well. Bring the stock mixture to a boil, then carefully pour it around the chicken thighs.

7. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, by which time the chicken will be lovely and golden and the stock will have been absorbed. Put knobs of the sage butter over the chicken thighs, allow it to melt, then serve.

‘From The Oven To The Table: Simple Dishes That Look After Themselves’ by Diana Henry (Mitchell Beazley, £25).

Adding veg to desserts is a trend that’s been around a while now – but you may not have tried pumpkin and chocolate together.

Gill Meller says pumpkin has a wonderful, buttery quality when cooked. “Puréeing pumpkin turns that butter to silk. Stir the silk through dark, melted chocolate and you get a smooth, earthy, rich custard, to which I like to add just a little too much sea salt,” he says.

1. First, make the pastry. Combine the icing sugar, plain flour and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Rub in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (you can do this in a food processor, if you prefer). Add half the whisked egg and all of the chilled water, and stir through to combine.

2. Tip out the dough and bring it together with your hands, kneading lightly to achieve a smooth finish. Wrap the pastry in parchment and rest it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F/gas mark 4.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until it is about 2mm thick. Grease and flour a 25cm loose-bottomed, fluted tart tin, then lay over the pastry, tucking it into the corners and leaving an overhang. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and baking beans.

4. Blind-bake the tart case for 25 minutes, then remove the baking beans and parchment, trim the overhang, give the pastry a light brush with the remaining egg and return to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the base is just starting to colour. Remove and set aside.

5. Make the filling. Pour the milk and cream into a pan and add the pumpkin or squash. Set over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring regularly for 15-20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender. Purée the pumpkin and cream mixture together in a blender until it is lovely and smooth and silky, then add the sugar, eggs and egg yolk and whiz for a few more seconds to combine.

6. Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Allow the chocolate to melt slowly, then remove from the heat. Pour the pumpkin purée into the melted chocolate and stir well to combine. Pour the filling into the tart case. Bake the tart for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool. Sprinkle the top with the sea-salt flakes before serving.

‘Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower: How To Cook With Vegetables And Other Plants’ by Gill Meller (Quadrille, £27).

It doesn’t have to be autumn to enjoy pumpkin, you know. Also, these vibrant veg have “been shown in studies to have an anti-diabetic effect, which means it can help stabilise and control blood-glucose levels”, say The Midlife Kitchen cookery book writers, Mimi Spencer and Sam Rice – and that’s even in cheesecake form.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Line a 20cm springform cake tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Using a coffee grinder or spice mill, pulse the Midlife LSA ingredients in batches until finely ground.

3. To make the cheesecake base, combine the LSA (or ground almonds if using), ground ginger, dates and coconut oil in a bowl. Mix well, using your fingers to create a crumb, ensuring the dates are evenly distributed. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared tin, then brush it with egg white (this keeps the base layer crisp) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

4. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/gas mark 3.

5. To make the filling, put the ricotta cheese into a food processor or blender and whizz until completely smooth. Add the remaining filling ingredients and blend until combined.

6. Pour the filling over the cooled base, then bake for 50 minutes until the cheesecake is cooked through but still has a bit of a wobble in the middle. Turn off the oven, leaving the cake inside to cool completely. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least two hours to firm up.

7. To serve, remove the cheesecake from the tin, place on a serving dish and top with the raspberries. Drizzle with honey just before serving. This cheesecake is deliberately not overly sweet so for those with a sweeter tooth, serve with a little extra honey on the side.

‘The Midlife Kitchen’ by Mimi Spencer and Sam Rice (Mitchell Beazley, £16.99).

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