Real pumpkin?!
Answers: what do i do to an uncarved pumpkin to make pumpkin pie, or bars? never tried it before, but i remember when i was in high school that they were teaching a kindergarden class about it.
Cut the pumpkin in half, top to bottom, scoop out the seeds and stringy insides. Use a large metal spoon and scrape out the insides well. Put the pumpkin halves cut side down on a cookie sheet (you can grease the cookie sheet if you like) Put the pumpkin in a 350 degree oven and bake for roughly 45 minutes or until the flesh is completely soft. Remove from the oven and let cool for a bit. Remove the flesh from the outer skin using a large spoon. If you have baked a carving pumpkin it may be a bit stringy. but you can put it in the food processor or blender to get rid of that, otherwise, you can just mash it up a bit and use it exactly the same as you would use plain canned pumpkin in any recipe. The leftover pumpkin freezes very well and will keep for several months in the freezer.
Happy baking!
JUST BUY THE CANS ITS EASIER.
you need to cook it first like you would squash
Forget about cooking the large carving pumpkins...they really don't have any taste. If you want to make pumpkin pie from scratch, get a cooking pumpkin. They are sold near the squash, are smaller than Halloween pumpkins, and have flavor because they aren't pumped up with water to get them bigger and carve-able.
Basically, split the pumpkin down the middle with a knife. Pull out the seeds and strings. Rub the inside with butter and sprinkle with some salt and cinnamon. Put the cut side up in a shallow cooking dish. Bake for 45-60 minutes in a 350 oven. Once the pumpkin squash is cooled, scrape the insides with a spoon into a large bowl. Add other pumpkin recipe ingredients.
But, the best idea is to buy canned pumpkin (unspiced). Will generally taste better and have that "traditional flavor."
Oh wow!.. I can remember me and my college roomie were going to get real authentic one Thanksgiving and cook a real pumpkin pie... We boiled up that pumpkin, seemed to take forever for it to get soft.. and it turned out all stringy.. it seemed so far away from the canned stuff, it was like a different fruit altogether.. We ended up throwing it.. What a waste.. I would really suggest just buying canned for the pie.. Unless you like baked or boiled pumpkin like a vegetable.. You can make a mixed vegetable compote or something, which you boil the pumkin, some zucchini, some potatoes, in a little boullion flavoring, then drain it, add black pepper, some butter, and then grate some parmesan cheese or other cheese over the top.. and serve along side a meal...
As already stated, the first thing is to be certain you purchase what we country folk always refereed to as a "Pie Pumpkin." Those sold for carving are not of the variety that do well in cooking.
As for preparation you have already received good comments.