2019 has been a  pivotal year in the way we acknowledge our impact on the planet and learned to take responsibility for it. This October, it is estimated that 18,000 tonnes of edible pumpkin will be wasted by pumpkin carvers. In order to prevent this waste, we’re sharing our favourite 5 pumpkin recipes so that we can enjoy the Halloween fun guilt-free, chocolate not included:

1. Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie

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This is a classic American dish with a twist – the filling is lightly spiced with cinnamon and can be made for individual mini portions or as one large pie. This recipe was provided by Chinese wholesaler, Wing Yip and we can’t wait to try it.

Ingredients: 

  • 170g plain flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 100g cold butter, cubed
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1kg pumpkin flesh
  • 130ml maple syrup
  • ½ tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1 tsp five-spice powder
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 150ml evaporated milk
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar

Method: Pre-heat the oven to 200c. Cut the pumpkin into 2-3 large pieces and remove the seeds. Place the pumpkin onto a baking tray and roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender.

Remove the pumpkin from the oven and leave to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, carefully remove the skin and scoop the pumpkin flesh into a food processor. Whizz until smooth and then pour into a fine sieve or a piece of muslin and place over a bowl for at least one hour.

To make your pastry, sift the flour into a mixing bowl and stir through the salt. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs and then stir through the sugar. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tbsp cold water and sprinkle over the mixture. Stir the mixture with a knife until it starts to come together. Add more water 1 tbsp at a time if necessary.

Finally, bring the mixture together with your hands and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out until you have a thickness of around ½ cm. Line either a 20cm tart tin or cut into 4 pieces and line 4 individual 8cm tart tins. Cover with clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.

If you have turned off your oven, pre-heat to 200c. Take the pastry cases out of the fridge and lightly prick the bases with a fork 2-3 times, then line with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans.

Bake the pastry cases for 15 minutes or until the edges have just started to brown and then remove the greaseproof paper and beans. Bake for a further 5-10 minutes until the base is pale golden. Remove from the oven and turn the heat down to 180c.

Whilst the pastry is baking, make the filling by putting 250g of the pumpkin puree into a large bowl and adding the maple syrup and spices. Stir in the beaten eggs and then gradually add the evaporated milk until the mixture is really creamy and thick. You may not need all of the evaporated milk. Pour into the pastry cases.

If cooking a 20cm tart, bake for around 35-40 minutes or 15-20 minutes for the smaller cases. Check the pie is not browning too quickly and cover loosely with foil if it becomes too brown but the filling hasn’t set. You are looking for the filling to still be slightly wobbly when gently shaken, but feel firm when lightly pressed in the middle. Remove from the oven and cool in the tins for at least 1 hour before removing from the tins.3

Mix the icing sugar with 1 tsp cold water until you have a thick but runny icing. Drizzle over the top of the pies before serving.

2. Pumpkin and Ricotta Ravioli with Sage Butter

An interesting cheesy and savoury serve proving that pumpkin can be used to create a fine dining experience. This recipe was shared with us by The Fox and Hounds, Hunsdson.

Ingredients:

  • 250g ‘type 00’ flour
  • 250g semolina
  • 300g pasteurised egg, or 6 large eggs
  • 500g pumpkin
  • 250g ricotta
  • 150g parmesan grated
  • Salt & pepper
  • Freshly grated nutmeg

To serve

  • 1 beaten egg
  • 100g butter
  • 12 sage leaves
  • 4 tbsp grated parmesan

Method:Combine all the pasta dough ingredients in a mixer. Run at low speed until the dough forms a ball. If too wet add a little 00 flour/ if too dry add a few drops of water. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough by pushing it with the heel of your hand, stretching it away from you, and then pulling it back. Turn through a quarter circle and repeat. You should end up with have an elastic ball of dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hr.

Preheat the oven to 160 c. Cut the pumpkin in half and wrap in foil (skin on). Bake in the oven for 1/1.5 hr until tender. Allow to cool and remove seeds and skin. Squeeze out excess water from the pumpkin and chop small. In a bowl mix the pumpkin with the ricotta and half the parmesan. Season with salt, pepper & nutmeg. Roll the pumpkin mix into small walnut-sized balls and then roll in the remaining grated parmesan. Allow to cool completely in the fridge.

Divide the pasta dough into four balls. Using a pasta machine roll out the pasta into four thin sheets of dough approx 1 m long and 12cm wide. Lay these on a lightly floured table. Arrange the balls of stuffing 1cm from the edge and 1 cm apart. *Only go to halfway across the pasta sheet with the balls of filling as the bare half will fold back over and form the top. Lightly moisten around the filling with beaten egg and fold over the bare half of the pasta sheet to for the top of the ravioli. Seal between the balls by pressing down and then use a ravioli cutter to form the individual ravioli. Check each ravioli is sealed and lightly dust with semolina before placing in a tray with semolina to prevent from sticking. Repeat until all the ravioli is made

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and salt it. In a separate large pan over a low heat melt the butter and season with pepper and add the sage leaves. Drop the ravioli into the water – they will take approx 5 mins to cook. As soon as it is cooked, remove from the pan with a spider and transfer, still dripping to the butter pan. Add some extra parmesan and stir and toss gently to form a sauce. Serve immediately.

3. Baked Pumpkin and Watercress Fondu

This dish looks aesthetically pleasing and is so easy to make. The recipe was shared with us by www.watercress.co.uk

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves 4 as a starter or snack

Ingredients:

  • 1 small pumpkin
  • 30g watercress, roughly chopped
  • 2 small shallots, finely diced
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 150g grated mature cheddar
  • 150g grated gruyère
  • 150g grated Emmental
  • 25g plain flour (or use cornflour for gluten-free)
  • 50ml dry white wine
  • 150g crème fraiche
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • To serve (optional)
  • Crusty bread
  • Roasted vegetables
  • Roasted baby potatoes

Method: Preheat the oven to 170ᵒC.  Take a sharp knife and carefully remove the ‘lid’ of the pumpkin, keeping to one side. Scoop out the seeds and stringy insides from the pumpkin, leaving the edible flesh intact. Put the lid back on the pumpkin and place onto an oven tray.  Roast the pumpkin in the oven for around 45 minutes, or until the flesh is just cooked through.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you make up the fondue mixture.

Take a large mixing bowl and add in the grated cheese, watercress and plain flour.  Mix thoroughly so that the cheese and watercress are evenly coated with a fine layer of flour.  In a separate bowl, mix together the crème fraiche, white wine, shallot, and garlic, along with a little ground black pepper (to taste).  Combine the cheese mixture and the crème fraîche, then take a spoon and carefully fill up the pumpkin with the cheesy mix.  Put the pumpkin back into the oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Take the pumpkin out of the oven and carefully transfer to a board for serving.  Serve with bread, potatoes, or roasted vegetables for dunking, using spoons or fondue forks to dip into the fondue and scoop out the soft roasted pumpkin.

Note: The pumpkin can be roasted ahead of time and kept refrigerated for up to 48 hours but you will need to add around 20 minutes extra onto the oven time for the fondue to melt as the pumpkin will be cold inside.

4. Spiced Pumpkin Green Smoothie

This pumpkin spice smoothie means you can use up that leftover pumpkin and get a real vitamin boost in the morning, the recipe is from www.watercress.co.uk

Serves 1

Prep time: 5 minutes

 Ingredients:

  • 1 small frozen banana
  • 50g pumpkin puree
  • 40g watercress
  • 40g baby spinach
  • 60ml coconut milk
  • 80ml unsweetened almond milk
  • ½ tsp mixed spice

Method: Add all ingredients to a blender or smoothie maker and blend on high until smooth.  Scrape down sides to make sure everything is incorporated and pulse again.

Taste and adjust flavour as needed, adding more almond milk if too thick.

Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for up to two days.

5. Chantenay Carrot and Pumpkin Curry

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This hearty, healthy and vibrant vegetarian curry really packs a punch. The recipe came from Chantenay Carrots. 

Serves: 4-6

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1tsp ground cumin seeds
  • 1tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
  • 7 curry leaves
  • 1tbsp of medium curry paste
  • 1 small pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
  • 350g Chantenay carrots
  • 1 small red pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 tin chopped peeled plum tomatoes
  • 1 tin coconut milk
  • 1 bunch of coriander, chopped
  • 150ml of vegetable stock
  • Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Roast the cumin and mustard seeds in a small pan, cook until they begin to pop. Remove from the heat, pound in a pestle and mortar and set aside.

Place a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the oil and when it is hot add the onion. Reduce the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, chilli, curry leaves, curry paste and continue to cook for 1 minute.

Add the crushed cumin and mustard seeds to the onion mixture and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Add the pumpkin, carrots, red pepper, lime juice and stir well.

Then add the tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, half the chopped coriander, and the stock. Cook for a further 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Adjust the seasoning and top with the rest of the coriander