Pumpkin Purée: A Taste of Orange, and My First Autumn Abroad

Name: Pumpkin Purée: A Taste of Orange, and My First Autumn Abroad
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: Yields 800g pumpkin purée
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 large pumpkin

Bianca Mwale @bianca_eatsy

Zomba, Malawi

I grew up in Malawi, where the seasons are either sunny, cold, or rainy. I never knew the quiet beauty of autumn - the crisp air and golden leaves. That all changed during my first autumn in Italy. The days were still kissed by the sun, but the evenings brought a gentle chill that made me crave cozy meals and earthy flavors.

This pumpkin purée is inspired by that experience and by the vibrant second color of the rainbow: orange. It was in Malawi where I first baked pumpkin cake, and it was in Italy where I first used pumpkin in pasta. To me, orange now means warmth, change, and nourishment.

This simple, silky purée celebrates that color in all its richness, turning fresh pumpkin into a golden base for soups, stews, pies, pasta, cakes, or even a simple spread. It’s a blend of home and discovery; a Malawian heart wrapped in the comfort of an Italian autumn.

#EatTheRainbow

Bianca Mwale @bianca_eatsy

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Ingredients

1 hr

Yields 800g pumpkin purée

1large pumpkin

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Steps

1 hr

1

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Slice the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet
2

Roast for 40 to 60 minutes or until the flesh is soft and cooked through. Let cool for about 1 hour
3

Scoop out the flesh from the skin and into a bowl
4

Using an immersion blender, purée until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed
5

Chill or freeze until ready to use. I used some of mine to bake a delicious pumpkin cake and saved some for later

Pumpkin Spice Cake