Fall for the Plethora of Pumpkins and Winter Squashes

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATALIE FINDLAY

Whether you refer to them as winter squash or pumpkins - all are edible with their own unique flavour, level of sweetness and texture. Some, though edible, are better left for the carving station because they are watery and bland. Many different kinds of pumpkins and winter squashes are delectable and adaptable for eating, such as: acorn, butternut, honeynut, buttercup, delicata, kabocha, red kuri, spaghetti, sweet dumpling, just to name a few beauties that you will see at the grocery or farmers’ market this fall. Try them all to discover which you love the most.

Acorn Squash and Bacon

Pasta

Serves 4

1 roasted acorn squash (with carrots, onion and garlic, see note)

5 strips thick-cut, double smoked bacon (cut into 2.5 cm pieces)

1 medium sweet, white onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

½ tsp ground thyme

½ tsp ground sage

To taste sea salt

4 servings pasta

1½ Tbs (23 mL) rum (optional) Gruyere cheese, for garnish

Fresh thyme and sage leaves, finely chopped, for garnish

1. Remove flesh from the squash and along with the carrots, onion and garlic, place in a blender or food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Add water to thin as needed. Reserve.

2. Put on a pot of water to boil for pasta.

How to Roast Squash

Squash or pumpkin of choice

Drizzle of oil

Pinch of sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 375º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and strings.

2. Rub with oil and sprinkle with sea salt and place flesh side down on parchment. Pierce the skin with a sharp knife. Bake for 30 - 60 minutes depending on the size of the squash.

3. Check for doneness - when a fork pierces the skin easily. Remove from oven and enjoy. Or let cool and scoop out the flesh and use for another dish.

Note: if using for savoury dishes, roast other veggies along with the squash, such as carrot, onion and garlic. For garlic, peel and tuck the cloves inside the part where the seeds were. They get a nice steam in there and are soft and luscious when done.

3. In a large sauté pan, add the bacon and let the fat release. Add the onions and sauté with the bacon until translucent.

4. Add the garlic, thyme, sage, and salt and let cook another 2 minutes.

5. In the meantime, add the pasta to boiling pot.

6. Deglaze the bacon pan with rum (if desired) or stock.

7. Add the pumpkin puree to the sauté pan and gently stir ingredients together. Add pasta water to pan if needed to thin sauce. Drain pasta and add to sauté pan, stir to incorporate. Serve with grated gruyere cheese, fresh thyme and sage.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Makes 1 - 23 x 33 cm cake (9x13”)

1/3 cup almond flour

½ cup walnuts

¼ cup all purpose flour

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp allspice

½ tsp ground ginger

8 grates nutmeg

5 Tbs (75 mL) melted butter

2 large eggs

1 Tbs (15 mL) molasses

½ cup (120 mL) avocado or other vegetable oil

½ cup (120 mL) sour cream

½ cup (120 mL) milk

1 cup (240 mL) pumpkin puree

2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 Tbs baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1½ tsp ground ginger

2½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp allspice

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.

2. Lightly grease a baking pan and line with parchment (you can also use a spring form pan for easier cake removal).

3. In a medium bowl combine first 10 ingredients and set aside (topping).

4. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, molasses, oil, sour cream, milk, puree, and vanilla together.

5. In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and allspice together.

6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Pour half into prepared baking pan. Add half the reserved topping. Add the other half of the batter and remaining topping.

7. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with only a few crumbs attached.

Pumpkin and Apple Galette

Makes 2

2 Tbs (30 mL) sour cream

¼ cup (60 mL) ice water

1 cup + 1 Tbs all purpose flour

1 Tbs corn meal

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

6 Tbs cold butter, cubed

2 Tbs golden raisins

2 Tbs boiling water

2 tsp brandy

1 apple, cored and thinly sliced

10 slices kabocha squash (thin sliced)

Drizzle olive oil

Drizzle honey

Pinch sea salt

Pinch ground sage

1 Tbs (15 mL) melted butter

1 Tbs pepitas

1. In a small bowl combine sour cream and water.

2. In a food processor, add flour, corn meal, sugar and salt, and pulse to incorporate. Add the cubed butter to the bowl of the processor and pulse a few times until the butter is the size of peas.

3. Drizzle the sour cream mixture as you pulse the ingredients together, a little at a time until the mixture just comes together.

4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball.

5. Split in 2 and form each into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least ½ hour.

6. In a small bowl, add the raisins, boiling water, add brandy, cover and reserve.

7. Preheat oven to 425º F. Remove dough and roll each ball out to approximately 20 cm. Layer the pumpkin slices and apple slices filling the centre with a 4 cm edge left bare. Drizzle the centre with olive oil and honey.

8. Add a pinch of sea salt and sage. Strain raisins and tuck half the raisins in each galette. Fold the bare dough edges onto the centre. Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle a few pepitas on top.

9. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top and bottom.

Natalie is a freelance writer, photographer, and pastry chef. A graduate of Cordon Bleu’s pastry program, she manages her own business too to create custom-made cakes.