Pumpkin, Non-Pie
How do I know that fall has officially arrived? When bright orange, gnarled orbs, otherwise known as pumpkins, started popping up everywhere I look. Where there once were flowers, now gourds in all shapes and sizes line windowsills, decorate tables, and herald the coming of cooler weather and the holiday season.
At the farmers market, the autumnal gourds are slowly creeping in: splashes of white, purple, and of course orange occupy space where the more delicate summer vegetables once lay. And as October progresses, how could we miss seeing pumpkins that have been morphed into ghoulish, grimacing faces. They've become the singular icon of our country's favorite dress-up day, Halloween.
When it comes to eating pumpkin, I have to admit I have always been a fan. I eat pumpkin in any form: cakes, muffins, ice cream, bread, and of course, pie. For all my love of pumpkin, however, I was never the biggest fan of squash. It has not been until more recently in life that the magnificent chefs of New York City have enticed me during the fall with butternut squash filled ravioli in brown butter and sage. They've also warmed my belly with superlative bowls of spiced pumpkin soup. Gradually, I have begun to see my old favorite the pumpkin in a new light--as something deliciously savory.
For such a sweet, flavorful, and nutritious vegetable, it is amazing that in our culture pumpkin has mostly been relegated to the dessert section of the menu. Perhaps it is on account of the fact that finding that perfect pumpkin in the patch, scooping out the seeds, sawing it into sections, and roasting it for an hour before you can use the flesh is a slightly laborious process.
As such is the case, most of us default to the canned stuff, which typically only seems appropriate for those recipes whose second ingredient is "sugar." But luckily for us time-constrained individuals, it turns out that the canned version is actually better for us than the real thing (how often does that happen?)! Due to the lower water content, canned pumpkin boasts 10 times the amount of beta-carotene as the whole squash. Having cooked with both, I also find that canned pumpkin has a more intense flavor than commercially grown gourds.
In a country that has worshipped the pumpkin for little more than its capacity to hold candy and candles, it may seem strange incorporating it into the entrée portion of your nightly supper. However, all we have to do is look at other cultures, some not so distant from our own, and we find many examples of pumpkin (or butternut squash) taking a central role or strong supporting role at the table.
In fact, it was while I was trekking in Northern Thailand two summers ago that I had my first taste of a mildly spicy curried pumpkin, stewed over the open flames in a Karen village that turned my pumpkin world upside down. Ever since then I have been experimenting, trying to recapture that divine combination of sweet and savory in a way that is more accessible to every day eating (Seeing as how I lack certain elements, like the local curry mixture and a wood fire, I seriously doubt I'll ever be able to recreate it exactly in my little apartment).
After a winter of using pumpkin spiced and roasted, creamed and mashed, in soups and in stews, I think I have finally found a dish that crosses the borders of two of my favorite savory pumpkin experiences. Combining the flavors of Thailand and the technique of the Italians, I stumbled upon a creation I call Thai Curried Pumpkin Lasagna. Made with the canned stuff, flavored with Thai Red Curry Paste, coconut milk and Thai basil, the flavors are purely Southeast Asian. The filling is cooked ahead with ricotta and parmesan on the stove and layered with pasta to make individual lasagnas that are finished off in the oven. Out of the oven, drizzled in brown butter and fried basil, east meets west in several bites of Pumpkin Heaven.
So in the coming weeks, as you carve your Jack-O-Lanterns, help your kids fill their pumpkin pails, and maybe make a pie or two, remember the pumpkin has a place in your home that can surpass the dessert tray. With the help of a can opener and some techniques from around the world the pumpkin can be more than a harbinger of the holidays. It can be a make a rich and exotic dinner to be enjoyed year-round.
Made with dry lasagna, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, shallot, garlic, plain pumpkin puree, ricotta cheese, Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, Thai basil leaves
Serves/Makes: 6
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 ounce size) plain pumpkin puree
- 1 container (15 ounce size) ricotta cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Thai red curry paste (more if desired)
- 1/3 cup coconut milk
- 3 handfuls Thai basil leaves (or regular basil)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 9 sheets dry lasagna
- olive oil
- non-stick cooking spray
- 1/2 cup butter
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and sweat for 3 minutes; add the garlic and sweat a minute longer.
Meanwhile, whisk together the curry paste and coconut milk with a fork until well combined. Err on the side of less spice as curry pastes vary in heat, you can always add more.
To the shallots, add the pumpkin, ricotta, curried coconut milk and one handful basil leaves. Bring to a simmer then reduce to a medium low simmering to reduce and thicken. Stir often to prevent sticking
Once the water is boiling, cook the pasta, about 10 minutes according to package directions. Drain the pasta and toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Once the pumpkin filling has thickened, about 10 minutes, turn off the heat and stir in half the grated Parmesan. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Working with one pasta sheet at a time, put about two tablespoons of the pumpkin filling on one end of a third of the pasta sheet. Fold sheet over and top with another two tablespoons on one third. Fold sheet over filling one last time and top with another third. You should now have three layers of pasta and filling.
Repeat with remaining sheets of pasta, you should get about 6 individual lasagnas in all.
Sprinkle lasagnas with remaining Parmesan. Put in oven to melt cheese, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in small saucepan or saute pan over medium high heat, melt butter swirling constantly. Once melted continue to cook and swirl until butter starts to brown.
Once the butter gives off a nutty aroma and has turned a medium to light brown, turn off heat and throw in the two handfuls of basil. This will stop the cooking of the butter and fry the basil.
Remove lasagnas from oven when cheese is melted. Serve each drizzled in brown butter and topped with crispy basil.
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