Easy as Pie: How to Roast a Pumpkin (the easy way)

Roasting squash has never been my thing. They're large, unwieldy, and rather rude when you're trying to hack them into bits with a knife. Add in how messy they are to scoop out, remove the stem, quarter and/or peel, and those cans of butternut or pumpkin puree sound so much nicer. I'm a sucker for the beautiful golden squash at the farmer's market or in the produce display, looking so lovely, and mocking me with their fall abundance. Every year I'd buy the pumpkins and butternut anyway, wrestle it into submission, and work it into my recipes, feeling satisfied at having won yet again, only a few bandaids on. I was mentioning this to a friend when she started looking at me like I had two heads. Having only one head, I asked what was up. She was incredulous "you cut them up BEFORE you cook them??" Well, yes. Didn't everyone? Apparently not. That day I learned there was an easy way. And I am here to tell you it changed my life.

Are you ready?

Roast them whole. Then cut.

Yup, it's that simple. I know, let it sink in. I was amazed. If anything, the flavor is even better, because they don't dry out while cooking.

1. Get your squash, be it pumpkin, butternut, kobucha, or otherwise.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F, and wash the squash in warm water.
3. Put the squash in a pyrex casserole or a cookie sheet, something with a lip in case it gets leaky in there, you don't want to scrub squash juice out of your oven, right?
4. Roast for about an hour, or until the flesh pierces easily with a fork
5. Remove, and let cool for a while until you can handle it. I often slice mine open partially to let it cool even faster, because I'm not one for patience usually.
6. Cut the stem away carefully, like you would a jack-o-lantern lid, only this time it's gloriously easy! (the stem can get brittle in the hot oven and threaten to leave pieces if you don't remove it first, that kills the buzz of a tasty custard...)
7. Scoop out seeds and "pumpkin guts"
8. Scoop flesh out of the skins.
9. Pat yourself on the back. You have roasted squash, and it was easy.

Use the fleshy bits to make a puree, or however your recipe calls for them. If you want a thick puree, reduce the puree in a saucepan over medium heat, the excess moisture will steam off.