We are in the midst of autumn, and from the market stalls the queens of the season have been peeping out for a while now: pumpkins. Inviting, colorful and in the most varied shapes, they are truly irresistible, and what’s more, as All Saints’ Day approaches, it is becoming increasingly common to see them creatively decorated and carved.

Halloween, a holiday dedicated to all the dead (saints or deceased) celebrated in grand style in the Anglo-Saxon world, has come down to us a few years ago with its charge of fun and gluttony, and the pumpkin is undoubtedly its symbol.

Fantasy in the kitchen

With its sweet flavor and creamy texture, pumpkin is widely used for creams and soups, you know, but it is also a tasty and different side dish that goes well with pork (especially the leaner cuts). Ideal in this case are EatPink Quelli Teneri products, perfect for cooking in the oven or in the pan, always soft and wholesome. Ever tried baked coppa with pumpkin, potatoes and rosemary? It will be a complete second course that everyone will really enjoy. Slices of tenderloin, on the other hand, become special even if only just seared and laid on a bed of pumpkin cream flavored with macaroons and a pinch of cinnamon; a fragrant dish that already makes us think of Christmas. Loin, on the other hand, turns into a “surprise” dish, just prepare slices stuffed with a pumpkin and almond filling; elegant and impressive.

Properties of pumpkin

This cucurbit came to us from the New World and has found – literally – fertile ground, both for ease of cultivation and for flavor and properties. It is a low-calorie vegetable rich in water and fiber and low in fat and protein.

Pumpkin is a veritable mine of antioxidants, especially vitamin A, but there is also no shortage of vitamins C, E and the B group; important is the presence of minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, plus selenium, which also contributes as an antioxidant.

And, last but not least, did you know that pumpkin contains tryptophan? Don’t let that complicated word scare you: it is simply an amino acid precursor to the so-called “feel-good hormone,” serotonin. Definitely well-wishing!

And so, happy holidays to all!