If you have never tasted pumpkin pie made of fresh pumpkin, you will never know what a treat you have missed. The difference between canned and fresh pumpkin is similar to fresh papaya and tinned papaya.

There are several way to cook fresh pumpkin. And although it takes some time to prepare fresh pumpkin, it is well worth it. A pumpkin day can be a long one, so don't plan on cooking that evening. Have a simple dinner - sandwiches, soup made the day before or egg omelet. Here is what you do:

1. Wash the pumpkin.
2. Heat the oven to 500° F (250° C). You need a hot oven or the pumpkin will be soggy.
3. Cut the pumpkin open and clean out the inside. You can cut the pumpkin in half and then into quarters for easier cleaning.
4. Cut the pumpkin into large pieces, and put them in a turkey roaster or a casserole dish. Add some water - about ½ inch (1-½ cm) and bake until tender.
5. Remove pumpkin from baking dish and cool.
6. Peel off the rind.
7. Place the pumpkin pieces in a blender or food processor and puree the pumpkin. Put the pumpkin in a strainer and let it drain to get as much of the water out of it as you can.
5. Let the cooked pumpkin cool completely. If you are going to can the pumpkin instead of freezing it, now is a good time to wash your jars and get things ready for canning.
6. Once the pumpkin is completely cool, peel of the rind. Baking it has made this much easier. Many times you won't even need a knife.
7. Now it is time for your food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a blender. A blender will take about two times as long, but it will work. Puree the pumpkin.
8. Put the pumpkin in a strainer and let it drain. Get as much of the water out of it as you can.
9. All the books on home canning say that at this point you should simmer the pumpkin until well heated,. If that will make you feel safer, have at it. I never do this.
10. If you are going to freeze the pumpkin, put 1 cup in a freezer bag and put it in the freezer. That is it.

When you use fresh pumpkin for a pie, use less liquid when you mix the filling. You can use the recipes for cakes and cookies without changing the amounts of liquid in the recipes. Fresh pumpkin is a lighter color. If you want it to be a darker color, you can add a little food coloring. And that's about it.

Article by: www.eclecticcooking.com . Do you know how to cook a juicy salmon? How to avoid crying when cutting onions? How to prevent avocados from turning black? Visit The Eclectic Cooking website, portal to gourmet cooking and nutrition featuring freelance writers, chefs, and authors. Free weekly newsletter subscription: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text31759 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it