Pumpkin flour

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is the fruit of some herbaceous plants belonging to the Cucrcubitaceae family. The genus most used for food purposes is undoubtedly the Curcubita and, in Italy, the species of greatest use are the moschata (suitable for the famous "cappellacci di zucca ferraresi") and the maxima .

In the Italian gastronomic culture, the pumpkin took over along with the other typical products of the American continent. It is an annual cycle, sexually monoecious and climbing. It produces edible yellow flowers called "pumpkin flowers" and oily seeds consumed as dried fruit from which it is also possible to extract an oil (of little value but useful against prostatic hypertrophy).

The fruit of the varieties called "winter" (maxima and moschata), which reaches considerable size, matures in the autumn period. It does not require particularly rich soils but requires fairly high temperatures.

In the Bel Paese, the pumpkin is known for its sweetness, low caloric intake, richness in mineral salts (potassium) and vitamins. It is said that it promotes tanning but, in reality, it contributes (like carrots) to increase carotene in skin tissues (orange hue).

Its uses are mainly: cooked (baked or in a pan) and pulped, dried, candied and in the form of flour.

In Italy, pumpkin flour, dried pumpkin and candied pumpkin are still little known.

Pumpkin flour

WARNING! We strongly recommend that you inquire about the fruit of origin of pumpkin flour. It is better to avoid the turkish turban gourd which, while lending itself thanks to the typically powdery consistency of the pulp, has organoleptic and gustatory characteristics that "leave something to be desired".

Pumpkin flour is a powder obtained from the accurate grinding of the dried (sometimes steamed) pulp obtained from fresh fruit, NOT cooked.

Some pumpkin flours have a less bright color than fresh pulp, probably due to the oxidation of the so-called equivalent retinol (vit. A) which, due to logic, are partially degraded. Other flours, on the other hand, remain well pigmented, probably due to different processing processes. However, I always suggest consulting the nutritional label to verify that the food is not rich in food additives (generally organic flours do not have them); in this case, it is better to prefer others with a less inviting color.

Pumpkin flour is mainly used in the preparation of baked foods, both sweet and savory. There is no shortage of applications as a filling for pasta or as a base for certain first course dishes (following rehydration), or for decorative purposes.

As with many other types of "alternative" flours, even the pumpkin one is particularly used in vegan cuisine and in celiac cooking; obviously, as such, the pumpkin flour produced in pristine environments does NOT contain GLUTEN!

The price of pumpkin flour is quite high, even if the reason is not known; the organic one is around 20 € / kg. Some products clearly mention the pumpkin of origin on the label and, in the case of the "Turkish turban", regardless of the processing techniques, the price would be definitely NOT.

The nutritional intake of pumpkin meal is quite unique. It provides a fairly high energy quantity, but not overlapping with that of cereal flours. Calories are mainly supplied by carbohydrates but, unlike traditional flours, these are mainly monosaccharides (fructose). Lipids and proteins are marginal.

The most particular nutritional component is certainly represented by the fibers, which are around 15g / 100g of edible part. On the other hand, it should be borne in mind that the rehydration coefficient of pumpkin meal is quite high, which is why, when the food is ready, this weight may be 100% lower.

WARNING! Pumpkin flour, due to its very high potassium content, is highly NOT RECOMMENDED in case of chronic kidney failure, as it can cause harmful accumulation together with other foods (rich in this mineral, phosphorus, calcium and sodium) of such electrolyte in the blood.