It was quite a time I was given a pumpkin, the giraumont type. I read about it that it is a little bit sweeter than the classical pumpkin with a softer flesh. My mother in law did it as donut and were quite good, really soft inside. She gave me the other half. I was wondering for some days waht to do with it beside using it for the pasta or baking it as the classical pumpkin pie as A. suggested. Finally I chose to use it in muffins. The muffins were just delicious, soft, sweet but not too much, melting in the mouth. Jack did a brunch that day and I had to stop him eating more for the afternoon break. I used the left over of the pumpkin for the pasta, and believe me the taste was amazing compare to the ones with classic pumpkin « we have to ask L. to grow them up inhis garden » I said A. « I want some more for next year… »

Pumpkin, nuts and chocolate muffins

For about 20 muffins

• 500 g mashed pumpkin
• 300 g flour
• 130 g salted butter
• 130 ml milk
• 160 g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teasp baking powder
• 1 teasp baking soda
• 100 g nuts
• 100 g black chocolate
• 2 teasp pumpkin pie spices or a mix of spices*
• zest of an orange

1. Warm up the oven at 160°C
2. Break the chocolate and nuts in pieces. Melt the butter.
3. In a 1st bowl mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar,  baking soda, baking powder, spices, chocolate and nuts).
4. In a second one mix together the wet ingredients (milk, butter, eggs, pumpkin, zest of an orange).
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix.
6. Pour in the muffins stamps and put in the oven for at 35 min.
7. Let them cold on a grill (but they are also really good warm)

For the mix of 4 spices

• 1/2 cinnamon in powder
• 1/4 ginger in powder
• 1/8 grind cloves
• 1/8 grated nutmeg

Muffins au chocolat, noix et citrouille

Pour une vingtaine de muffins

• 500 g de purée de potiron
• 300 g de farine
• 130 g de beurre demi-sel
• 130 ml de lait
• 160 g de sucre
• 3 oeufs
• 2 cc de levure
• 1 cc de bicarbonate de sodium
• 100 g de cerneaux de noix
• 100 g de chocolat noir
• 2 cc d’un mélange de 4 épices*
• le zeste d’une orange

1. Préchauffer le four à 160°C
2. Hacher grossièrement le chocolat et les noix. Faire fondre le beurre.
3. Dans un premier saladier mélanger ensemble tous les ingrédients secs (farine, sucre, épices, bicarbonate, levure, chocolat et noix).
4. Dans un second saladier, mélanger ensemble tous les ingrédients humides.
5. Ajouter le mélange humide au mélange sec. Mélanger.
6. Remplir les moules à muffin et enfournerpour 35 minutes.
7. A la sortie du four laisser refroidir sur une grille (mais ils sont très bons chauds)

Pour le mélange des 4 épices:

1/8 clous de girofle broyés

1/2 cannelle

1/4 gingembre en poudre

1/8 noix de muscade rapée

Muffin al cioccolato, noce e zucca

Per una ventinaia di muffin

• 500 g purè di zucca
• 300 g farina
• 130 g burro salato
• 130 ml latte
• 160 g zucchero
• 3 uova
• 2 cucchiani lievito
• 1 cucchiano bicarbonato di sodio
• 100 g noci sgusciati
• 100 g cioccolato nero
• 2 cucchiani misto di 4 spezie*
• buccia di un arancia

1. Accendere il forno a 160°C
2. Tagliare a pezzi grossi il cioccolato e le noce. Sciogliere il burro
3. In una prima insalatiera mettere e mescolare tutti gli ingredienti secchi (farina, zucchero, spezie, lievito, cioccolato e noce)
4. In un altra insalatiera mettere tutti gli ingredienti umidi
5. Aggiungere gli ingredienti umidi agli altri e mescolare.
6. Riempire i stampi e infornare per circa 35 minuti
7. Lasciare raffredare su una griglia (ma sono buonissimi anche caldi)

Per il misto di 4 spezie:

• 1/2 cannella
• 1/4 zenzero macinato
• 1/8 chiodi di garofano
• 1/8 noci moscate macinata

As every respectable young student I used to eat pasta, in their very primitive taste, I mean overcooked and with some supermarket dippers… Yes! I am pretty ashamed of that culinary side of me. That was the image I had of pasta for a long long time, and I would have laught if I was ever said that I would cook pasta again and even create some sauce to go with it. But that day happened, it was last year when my mother in law was offered a huge pumpkin. She cooked it many ways but it was never ending and begged me for help to find something to do with it. I googled it and read recipes and flavours that could go with it. Finally I made the following sauce to go with pasta. Believe me all the italian familly just loved it and I was ordered to do some more this year !   

English table:

6 servings:

• 850 g of pumpkin washed and cleaned
• 50 g of salted butter
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 coffee spoon of curry
• 1 coffee spoon of nutmeg
• 80 g of grated parmesan
• 180 ml of liquid fresh cream

In a pan, melt the butter with garlic. Add the pumpkin cutted in pieces and let it cook for about 10 mns, blend from time to time. Then add the spices. Blend and cook until the pumpkin gets more less mashed. Add the cream and the parmesan. Mix and serve with medium rigatoni.

A la table française:

Sauce pour 6 personnes:

• 850 g de potiron lavé, épluché
• 50 g de beurre demi sel
• 1 gousse d’ail
• 1 c. à café de noix de muscade
• 1 c. à café de curry
• 80 g de parmesan
• 180 ml de crème fraiche

Dans une poele, faire fondre le beurre avec la gousse d’ail. Ajouter le potiron coupé en morceaux et le laisser cuire une dizaine de minutes en remuant régulièrement. Ajouter les épices. Remuer. Laisser cuire jusqu’à ce que le potiron commence à former une purée. Ajouter la crème et le parmesan. Mixer. Servir avec des rigatoni moyens.