The term pumpkin refers to different vegetables from the Cucurbitace family e .
There are many varieties of pumpkin, each with slightly different organoleptic and nutritional characteristics. In general, however , the pumpkin is a food rich in water and low in calories .
Like all orange-colored vegetables it is rich in carotenes; also provides a good amount of minerals, especially potassium, sodium, magnesium and phosphorus, and vitamin E.
100 grams of pumpkin contain less than 80 calories. Pumpkin has diuretic and calming qualities.
You can cook in many different ways, let's see some.
3 ways to cook pumpkin
The pumpkin has a very delicate and sweet taste that makes it suitable for many different preparations.
Baked pumpkin
Baked pumpkin is a fast way to bring this food to the table and to prepare a healthy meal. Just cut the pumpkin into rather large pieces and bake it at 180 degrees until the pulp is cooked.
Cooking times depend on the size of the pieces and the type of pumpkin; in any case, it is ready when, putting on a fork, it is soft.
Once cooked, cut it into thin strips and season it with a pinch of salt, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, if desired, a dash of balsamic vinegar from Modena.
A variation of this recipe is to cook the pumpkin in an oven already cut into thin strips, which we will have previously laid on baking paper. This recipe can be enriched in many different ways, for example with a few slices of raw onion cut very thin and walnuts.
Fried pumpkin
Cut the pumpkin into a match, just like we would do with potatoes, and fry it in hot oil for about 5 minutes.
Collect it with a slotted spoon and lay it on absorbent paper. Season with salt and, if desired, with a mixture of rosemary.
Pan-fried pumpkin
Cut the pumpkin into cubes and cook in a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil, an onion cut into very thin strips, a pinch of salt and a little water.
Do not add a lot of water because the pumpkin is already very rich. Cook over a very slow heat, with the lid on, for about 15 minutes.
Cooking times vary depending on the type of pumpkin and the quantity. When cooked, season with salt and black pepper and serve. If the preparation is too watery, finish cooking by raising the heat and removing the lid.
Pumpkin Sweet & Sour
Sweet and sour pumpkin is a very tasty side dish, typical of Sicilian cuisine.
Ingredients for 4 people :
> 1 kilo of pumpkin pulp,
> extra virgin olive oil,
> a spoonful of sugar (15/20 grams),
> 2 cloves of garlic,
> half a glass of white wine or apple vinegar (around 60 grams),
> salt.
Preparation : cut the pumpkin into squares or rectangles about one centimeter thick. Fry in plenty of extra virgin olive oil for 4 or 5 minutes. The pumpkin must be cooked but rather firm. Collect the pumpkin with a slotted spoon and place it on a tray.
Discard part of the oil used for frying and keep about 150 grams in the pan, add the previously peeled and cut into thin slices, the sugar and the vinegar.
Allow the seasoning to set on a high flame and, when ready, pour it over the previously cooked pumpkin slices. If desired, the dish can be finished with a few leaves of fresh mint.
Sweet and sour pumpkin light version
The sweet and sour pumpkin is a very inviting dish, but it is certainly not light. If you want to prepare a lighter version, so you can enjoy it even more often, you can try this variant:
The ingredients for 4 people are the same.
The pumpkin, however, is cooked in the oven and then cut into thin slices, before laying it on a tray. Separately, in the pan, prepare the sauce, without frying anything and putting it all together, a whole cut clove, extra virgin olive oil, half a glass of apple vinegar or white wine and a tablespoon of sugar. Allow the sauce to shrink, remove the garlic and pour over the previously baked pumpkin.
