Making pumpkin puree

When I decided to grow pumpkins this year I knew I wanted to try growing sugar pumpkins since they are excellent for making pies.  Fortunately, they did very well and I ended up with lots.

I researched different ways to make the puree and found tons of different ideas and tips.  I decided to go with roasting.  Mostly because it seemed easiest, but also because I thought roasting the pumpkin would give it extra flavor that just steaming would not.

Here is what I did:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Remove stem if still attached and cut pumpkin in half.
3. Scoop out seeds.
4. Place pumpkin cut side down on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil.  Make sure to use a baking sheet with a rim on it.  The roasting process generates some liquid and you don't want to make a huge mess in your oven.
5. Roast for about an hour.  The skins should look slightly darkened and papery and the flesh should be soft.
6. Cool until you are able to handle and scoop flesh into a food processor.
7. Process until smooth.

I used 2 pumpkins and ended up with about 4 cups of puree.  I'm freezing some of mine until next month when I make pumpkin pies.  I love these freezer containers from Ball.  They come in a bunch of different sizes and are really sturdy.