Tag: pumpkin

Oven Pumpkin Risotto

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Oven Pumpkin Risotto
Oven Pumpkin Risotto

This oven risotto is one of the very best dinners you will make. It is low effort and easy cooking with delicious taste rewards. NB: do not substitute the pumpkin with butternut!!!

30ml vegetable oil
30ml butter
150g smoked bacon, diced
1 large onion, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
250ml arborio rice
625ml chicken stock
60g butter, diced
500g pumpkin, peeled and diced (1cm x 1cm)
125ml grated parmesan cheese
15ml parsley, chopped

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Place an ovenproof saucepan on medium-high heat, add the oil and butter and add the bacon.
Fry until cooked and starting to turn crispy.
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving behind the fat.
Add the onion to the saucepan and cook until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
Add the rice, stock, 60g butter, pumpkin and cooked bacon to the saucepan and stir together.
Cover with a lid/aluminium foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the rice is soft.
Remove from the oven and stir in the parmesan.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.|Sprinkle over the parsley and serve.

South African Pumpkin Tart

by Karen Claassen1 Comment on South African Pumpkin Tart
South African Pumpkin Tart

I want to explain myself: this is a TART because a PIE usually has a “lid” or covering of pastry of a sort. Soooo, this dish might remind one of pumpkin pie, but strictly spoken it is a tart. What makes it even more unique is the fact that it is a South African Tart. It has an earthiness from the pumpkin that is utterly yum and the cinnamon that is sprinkled on the hot tart, gives that wonderful homely warmth that is truly South African and perfect for winter meals.

This is the easiest tart you will ever make and be warned; keep a copy of the recipe because you will be asked for it!

250ml flour

250ml sugar

5ml salt

750ml cooked, well-drained pumpkin

60ml butter, melted

250ml cream

3 eggs, lightly beaten

5ml ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 180℃.

Lightly spray or grease a 25cm ceramic pie dish.

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.

Add the sugar and pumpkin and give the mixture a stir.

Add the melted butter and cream to a wide mouthed jug and whisk together. Add the eggs and give the mixture another thorough whisk.

Pour the wet ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and mix together really well.

Pour the mixture into the pie dish and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle an even layer of cinnamon over the tart while it is hot.

In winter I like serving this pumpkin tart warm as a side dish to a meal but it is equally delicious in summer, when served at room temperature.

Pampoenkoekie Tray Bake

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Pampoenkoekie Tray Bake
Pampoenkoekie Tray Bake

This recipe was developed by chef Khanya Mzongwana from Woolworths. I added a crumb to the original to add some texture but whether you have it in its “original” form or with the crumble is irrelevant …. you will love it!! The tray bake may be served as is South African tradition, as a side dish to meat or with the crumble and ice cream, as a dessert.

250g flour
10ml baking powder
60ml brown sugar
5ml cinnamon
2,5ml nutmeg
5ml salt
200g pumpkin mash
125ml milk
2 eggs

For the crumble:
135g flour
50g oats
62g brown sugar
112g butter, melted

For the caramel sauce:
200g sugar
100g butter
125ml cream

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 20cm x 20cm baking tray with cooking spray.
Add the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a mixing bowl.
Add the pumpkin mash, milk and eggs to another bowl and whisk together.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir through. Do not over mix.
Scrape the batter into the prepared baking tray and set aside.

Prepare the crumble by adding the flour, oats and brown sugar to a mixing bowl and mix together.
Stir in the melted butter and mix together until the mixture forms large crumbs.
Sprinkle the crumble all over the pumpkin batter.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Make the caramel sauce by adding the sugar and butter to a small saucepan and wait for the butter to melt.
Simmer over a medium heat until it starts to turn a caramel colour. DO NOT STIR THE MIXTURE!
Whisk in the cream and allow to bubble for 1 minute.
Pour the sauce over the tray bake as soon as you take it from the oven.

Serve the pampoenkoekie tray bake as a side dish to meat or with ice cream, as a dessert.

Pumpkin-Pecan Pie

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Pumpkin-Pecan Pie
Pumpkin-Pecan Pie

This is one of the easiest and tastiest side dishes you will ever make and as a bonus, you will have one bowl and one jug to clean! You may prepare this dish the day before you want to serve it and simply heat it up when needed.

500ml pumpkin purée (cooked pumpkin, finely mashed)
375ml flour
250ml sugar
60ml butter, melted
250ml cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten
250ml pecan nuts, roughly chopped
45ml granulated sugar
5ml cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Add the pumpkin purée, flour and sugar to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Add the melted butter, cream and egg to a wide-mouthed jug and whisk together.
Pour the wet ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and mix to a batter.
Stir in the chopped nuts.
Grease a ceramic pie dish and pour the mixture into it.
Add the sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl and mix. Sprinkle onto the pie surface.
Bake the pie for 1 hour, until set.
Serve warm.

Filled Pumpkin Muffins

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Filled Pumpkin Muffins
Filled Pumpkin Muffins

These pumpkin muffins are deliciously moist and has the traditional cream cheese frosting in its centre with a crunchy strudel-like topping! For those who prefer not-so-sweet it is a perfect nutritious treat! This recipe yields 12 – 16 regular sized muffins.

For the topping:

125ml flour
62ml brown sugar
62ml oats
a pinch of salt
60ml butter, room temperature

For the filling:

230g cream cheese, room temperature
62ml sugar
2,5ml vanilla

For the muffins:

250ml pumpkin purée
2 eggs
125ml brown sugar
45ml vegetable oil
62ml honey
2,5ml salt
1,2ml ground ginger
5ml ground cinnamon
5ml baking powder
2,5ml bicarbonate of soda
180ml milk
375ml flour

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Line a muffin tray with paper cups, spray each cup lightly and set aside.

For the topping:
Add the flour, sugar, oats and salt to a mixing bowl and give it a stir to mix the ingredients.
Add the butter to the dry ingredients and rub it into the dry mixture with your fingertips until you have a coarse crumb texture.
Put aside.

For the filling:
Add the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl and beat with a spatula to combine.
Put aside.

For the muffins:
Add all the ingredients EXCEPT THE FLOUR, to a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with a spatula.
Now add the flour and mix until just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
You will be left with a runny batter.

Spoon about 30ml batter into each paper cup, making sure it covers the entire bottom of the cup.
Spoon 15ml of the cream cheese mixture into the centre of the pumpkin batter.
Now cover the cream cheese by spooning another 30ml of pumpkin batter into the cups. You will have 12 – 16 regular sized muffins.
Finally sprinkle about a teaspoon full of the topping onto each muffin.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Fritters with Caramel Sauce

by Karen Claassen2 Comments on Pumpkin Fritters with Caramel Sauce
Pumpkin Fritters with Caramel Sauce

These are traditional pumpkin fritters. In South Africa the caramel sauce has been very popular for many years and in that sense I suppose, it can be seen as almost-traditional. As in all great stories, of which a recipe is one, there is a but … this caramel sauce is an approved version of the original and fabulously, more-ish!

500ml pumpkin, cooked and drained
500ml flour
90ml sugar
10ml baking powder
a pinch of salt
2 eggs

Cook the pumpkin by roasting it in your oven at 180℃ until soft. Scoop out the flesh and drain in a sieve over a bowl, to get rid of excess water.
Add 500ml of the pumpkin to a mixing bowl.
Now add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and eggs and mix everything together with a spatula.
Heat about 5cm oil in a heavy based saucepan.
Scoop up some batter with a teaspoon and fry in the preheated oil until golden. This should take about 3 minutes.
Drain the fritters on kitchen paper and keep them warm in a low oven.

Caramel Sauce:

250ml cream
125ml brown sugar
60ml butter, cubed
60ml golden syrup|
5ml vanilla

Add the cream and brown sugar to a small saucepan.
Turn the heat on to low and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the butter and syrup and turn the heat up to a gentle simmer.
Allow the sauce to bubble for 5 minutes while stirring.
Take the saucepan off the heat, stir in the vanilla and pour the sauce over the warm pumpkin fritters.

Serve some of the caramel sauce on the side.