Time was when all we thought to do with pumpkins was to carve eyes, noses and all the details of faces out of them, excavating the fruit and then inserting a lit candle to create an eerie glow for the delectation of the kids at Hallowe'en. But, if we always chucked out the interior of the pumpkin before, now we know better.
In fact the larger pumpkins, so suitable for Hallowe'en faces, are not the best for cooking. When looking for a pumpkin the rule is: the smaller the better. Increased size usually just means increased water content. The simplest way to cook pumpkin is to split it down the middle, scoop out the seeds, brush the flesh with olive oil and then roast, flesh side down on a baking tray for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the pumpkin. Here's another suggestion, a bread to truly celebrate the autumn pumpkin harvest. It's quick and easily made in a food processor and the mace and cinnamon accentuate the spicy autumnal richness of this wonderful plaited bread.
Pumpkin Bread
1 small (400 g/14 oz) pumpkin (or half a larger one)
olive oil
425 ml (3/4 pint) warm water
20 g (3/4 oz) fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dried yeast
700 g (1 1/2 lb) strong white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each of mace, cinnamon and all spice
1 egg, beaten coarse sea salt
Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C/Gas 5. Split the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and brush the skin with olive oil. Roast, flesh side down, in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully scoop out all the flesh. You should end up with about 250 g (9 oz) cooked pumpkin. Roughly crumble the flesh with a fork.
Sprinkle the yeast into the warm water. Measure out the flour and add the salt and spices. Place the seasoned flour into a food processor. Mix the pumpkin in with the water and stir to combine. With the motor running, pour the liquid pumpkin mixture into the bowl of the food processor in one complete motion. Process for just a few seconds until the bread comes together, leaving the sides of the bowl clean. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for a few seconds to bring the bread together.
Rub the inside of a large bowl with olive oil, put in the dough, cover with cling film and leave to rise in a centrally heated room until doubled in bulk. Punch down. Form the dough into six thin ropes and plait two loaves with them.
Leave to prove for about 30 minutes, then brush with the beaten egg, sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt and bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes (do not open the door until 20 minutes have passed. The bread is ready when the bottom sounds hollow when tapped).
Megabite
Indian classic
It is quite something to have a recommendation from Elizabeth David on the back of your book ("This is a marvellous book"). But just imagine having a commendation from Jane Grigson ("What I like in particular about this book is the engaging clarity of the recipes. . .") side-by-side with Elizabeth David's praise. It happened to Julie Sahni's first book, Classic Indian Cookery, when it first appeared in these islands more than a decade ago, and a new edition of this book shows that the recommendations of the grandes dames of cookery were well founded. Sahni's book is a staggering achievement and personally it has proven to be a boon companion for more than 10 years.
Julie Sahni, Classic Indian Cookery (Grub Street, £20 in UK)
Megabites