Not pumpkin lattes are the same: what Penza prepares from pumpkin

The end of October is the peak of the pumpkin season in the Penza region. Orange fruits from cottages and markets please the price and quality, and housewives habitually prepare porridge and juice from them. Meanwhile, pumpkin is a versatile ingredient that reveals itself in the most unexpected dishes, from snacks to desserts. We tell you what to cook to look at this vegetable in a new way.

Pumpkin in salt performance: not only porridge

Let’s start with the unexpected: pumpkin goes well with cheese and greens. Try to bake slices of pumpkin with brynza, thyme and garlic - you will get a hearty snack that will decorate both dinner and the festive table. Another option is pumpkin hummus: bake the flesh with garlic and spices, break in a blender with chickpeas, tahini and lemon juice. Such a pate will appreciate even those who are indifferent to pumpkin.

Soup lovers should try pumpkin cream soup with coconut milk and ginger - it warms on wet October evenings. And for those who want to surprise guests, a pumpkin stuffed with rice, mushrooms and smoked paprika is suitable: a whole small pumpkin is baked in the oven, and then served in portions, taking out the fragrant filling with a spoon along with soft flesh.

Salads and snacks: a fresh look

Raw pumpkin is an underrated ingredient. Grate it on a grater for Korean carrots, add carrots, apple, walnuts and season with lemon juice with honey. You will get a crispy vitamin salad, which will charge cheerfulness. And if you pickle thin slices of pumpkin with vinegar, sugar and spices, in a day you will get a savory snack in the spirit of Asian cuisine.

Desserts: pumpkin instead of chocolate

Pumpkin is a wonderful base for sweets. Try pumpkin pancakes: add puree to the dough, and the pancakes will acquire a sunny color and light sweetness. Even more interesting is pumpkin ice cream: baked flesh, whipped with a banana and cream, is frozen without ice cream. And for lovers of baking - pumpkin pie with cinnamon and ginger or cookies with pumpkin and oatmeal.

Preparations for winter

Don't forget about conservation. Pumpkin marinated with garlic and spices will be an excellent snack for meat. Pumpkin jam with orange and ginger will surprise guests at the winter tea party. And if you dry thin slices of pumpkin in the oven, you get useful chips - an alternative to shop snacks.

Advice from Penza summer residents

Choosing a pumpkin in the market, take a fruit with a dense skin and a dry tail - it is ripe and will be sweeter. Keep the pumpkin in a cool place, and it will lie until spring, delighting with new dishes.

Pumpkin is not boring. Experiment and the main vegetable of October will become the favorite ingredient in your kitchen.