I like dips, they are great for gatherings and just for yourself as well. I am known as the “Food Maverick” and the last line in the instructions portion will let you know why, by doing something different. If you are having friends over or just family enjoy these three Pumpkin recipes for halloween.
Pumpkin Dipp recipe
Ingredients needed for Pumpkin Chip Dipp:
• 500g Ricotta
• 10g Fresh Rosemary
• 10g chopped parsley
• 200g pumpkin carved out and cubed
• Pumpkin spices TT
• 120g Bacon rough chopped (Approx. 4 slices)
• Salt TT
• Pepper TT
• 200g Aged Cheddar cheese Shredded
• If you have an Air frier-get fresh lasagna sheets and cut then into triangles (punting or chips) with pumpkin spice or croutons
Instructions:
• Combine ricotta, salt, pepper, rosemary, parsley in a food processor for a few seconds until smooth. Then refrigerate
• Carve out a mini pumpkin and cube the flesh set aside on a baking tray and season with pumpkin spice and bacon
• Preheat oven 350ºF and bake the pumpkin shell until a little color and browning occurs. Then remove, and turn the oven to broil, add the tray with pumpkin cubes seasoned with pumpkin spice and bacon and broil until bacon and pumpkin is well browned. Set aside and cool all the oven ingredients.
• Blend the ricotta mixture and the pumpkin and bacon ingredients together, do not over mix need those pumpkin chunks.
• Fill the cooked pumpkin with mixture and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top, and, with the heat left over from in the oven, place pumpkin back in to let the cheddar cheese melt .
• Transfer to a plate and add the pasta chips all around and serve.
I like to add fresh jalapeños or spicy hot pepper oil marinade. Remember to add your favourite ingredients to bring out the maverick in you for your loved ones.
Pumpkin stuffed with Gnocchi and Bacon cream sauce
From Chef Gerardo: I like pasta, no, more like love pasta. This combines one of my favorite pasta, the Gnocchi with the tradition of the season…the pumpkin. If you try this recipe, I know you will like it. Have fun making this treat….Divertiti a Mangiare!
Ingredients Needed:
• 500g Gnocchi
• 100g Bacon cut rough (about 4 slices)
• Remove some flesh from the toasted pumpkin and bake with the rendered fat
• 4 egg yolks, beaten well
• 2 cups 35% cream
• 60g freshly grated parmigiana cheese
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper TT
• Chopped parsley as desired
• Mozzarella cheese shredded (optional)
Directions:
• Place chopped bacon in a pan or skillet over low heat and sauté to desired crispness. Once done, remove and set the rendered crispy bacon aside and remove the fat and keep it to drizzle over the top of the pumpkin flesh, its piggy (very fatty but but really good)….(optional).
• Preheat a frying pan and add the rendered bacon fat and pumpkin flesh and sauté until soft and chunky texture is achieved. Set aside for mixing with the gnocchi and cream.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• In a soup bowl, place the egg yolks, salt, pepper, cheese and beat with a fork and set aside.
• In the large pot of salted rolling boiling water add the gnocchi and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they float.
• Drain the gnocchi, then add them to the skillet with the bacon the humidity will deglaze all the crispy bacon drippings and add to flavor blend in the pumpkin flesh
• Add the cream to the skillet and bring to a boil, the gnocchi will absorb the cream and the thickening will occur, remove from the heat, and add the egg and cheese mixture.
• Fill the pumpkin with the cooked gnocchi, add some mozzarella cheese and just let it melt with the heat from the gnocchi.
Pumpkin and tomato cream soup with arugula and cheese
From Chef Gerardo:
Halloween is a fun time and why should the kids get all of the fun. Here is one of my favorite treats for this time of your, Pumpkin and tomato cream soup. Take the best of what the season offers (like the pumpkin) and make a meal of it. For one person, for the kinds or the family….it’s a treat. Divertiti a Mangiare!
Ingredients Needed:
• Med to small pumpkin – flesh carved out and top removed baked @350ºF for 10-14 minutes or until coloring occurs
• 4oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided in two, plus more for drizzling on everything
• Toasted Baguette / or Air fried pasta chips
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Thyme Fresh to taste
• Freshly ground chillies
• 600g beefsteak tomatoes roughly cut
• 1 cup cooking cream (10-15%)
• Hand full of baby arugula
• 20g Parmigiano Reggiano shavings
Directions:
• Preheat oven 350ºF and toast baguette with 2 tablespoons oil on a baking sheet; season as desired or cut the pasta shapes desired and Air fry; season the same way….
• Heat 2oz of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a sauce pot over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, and thyme sweat for several minutes with no browning of the onion, keep them translucid (take approximately 5–8 minutes).
• Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they just start to release their juices, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup water or vegetable broth (optional)and bring to a boil.
• Transfer tomato mixture to a blender and blend until smooth; taste, season and add the cooking cream then blend for a couple of minutes
• Drizzle soup with more oil and top-off with arugula, parmigiana cheese and chips or baguette.
Gerardo D’Amore – Gerardo D’Amore is the “Food Maverick.” For Gerardo, food is a journey, in constant evolution in the pallet of taste and a simple and creative exercise of style. He has mastered the art of gastronomy. Gerado has an international background and is in demand for his skills and persona and has joined a list of exclusive international culinary personalities by hosting an ongoing International Travel and Culinary television series. Follow Gerardo on facebook, Instagram.
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