If you like to support Llynclys Farm shop and buy one of their many pumpkins for Halloween but don’t like food waste, here’s an autumnal recipe to use up spare pumpkin flesh.
Cook in the oven in a large casserole dish. Why not bake some homemade bread at the same time or some garlic bread from the village shop then serve with a crisp salad – you’ll never look at the humble pumpkin the same again.
Tip: Orzo is a rice shaped pasta which cooks nice and quickly – and is conveniently available at the farm shop. We used a crown prince pumpkin but you can use any other type or butternut squash.
Ingredients
Two good handfuls of peeled and cubed pumpkin
Half an onion, finely chopped
Sprig of rosemary
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Two cloves garlic, crushed
One stock cube
Teaspoon of smoked paprika
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
150 g orzo pasta
Grated parmesan to taste
Method
First fry the onion in the casserole dish in a little olive oil and when soft add the pumpkin and heat through a bit. Add the chilli flakes and fry for a couple of minutes before turning down the heat and adding the crushed garlic, paprika and tinned tomatoes, plus a little cold water.
Add the stock cube, stir and cover and put in the over at about 180 degrees for 15 mins.
Remove from the oven and add the sprig of rosemary and orzo. Give it a good stir and put back in the oven for a further 15 minutes – make sure it doesn’t dry out during cooking.
Remove from the oven and add more water if required, and check the pumpkin is soft. Cook for longer if you prefer softer pumpkin.
Once the pumpkin is to your liking, remove from the oven, give the dish a good stir and add the parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), season to taste, re-cover with the lid and leave for 10 minutes for all the flavours to infuse.
Remove the rosemary sprig when serving.