By Laura A. EdgertonIf you buy a pumpkin to eat or carve this year, don’t forget about the seeds. Pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas) make a wonderful snack or topping for dishes like tacos, risotto or even porridge. Below you’ll find simple instructions on how to roast pumpkin seeds and add flavour.What you’ll need:
- A medium to large size pumpkin
- A tablespoon of olive oil or any neutral oil like sunflower or rapeseed, and salt
- A plastic zip top bag for one of the following seasoning blends:
Cheesy Italian: one tablespoon each of Italian seasoning (€.79*) and grated Pecorino Romano cheese (€1.10*) or parmesanCinnamon sugar: one tablespoon each of cinnamon (€.69*) and sugarSmoked savoury: one teaspoon each of gram marsala (€.69*), cumin (€.69*) and smoked paprika (€.69*)Instructions:
- Remove the inside of the pumpkin.
- Separate the seeds from the stringy bits.
- Let the seeds air dry on kitchen towels for at least 10 minutes and up to 3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 150˚C.
- Mix the seeds in a bowl with a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of salt.
- Although the pumpkin seeds will be delicious with just salt, if you want to add one of the seasoning mixes, now is the time. Put your spices into a zip top bag, seal and shake. Next, add the oil and salt-coated seeds to the seasoning bag and shake again.
- Spread the coated seeds out in one layer on a baking tray.
- Put the seeds into the oven for about 25 minutes. Remove the seeds when they are golden brown.
- If they’re a little soft at this stage, don’t worry. Pumpkin seeds crisp as they cool.
- Have a taste and see if they need an additional sprinkle of salt.
- Eat as a snack, or use as a topping.
*Sourced at Tesco