Every year at Secretts they grow a range of different varieties of squash and pumpkin which are prized for their use in all sorts of culinary preparations. They also grow a field of pumpkins for their famous tractors rides to pick a pumpkin too. These are mostly used for carving for Halloween celebrations.
Here is one of three great recipes from members of the team. This is Kathy’s wonderful pecan and pumpkin tart, which goes really well with our raw Jersey cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Roasting the pumpkin first gives the finished tart a lovely caramel note.
Ingredients:
550g of pumpkin, peeled and cut into small chunks; 25g melted butter; 1 dessertspoon light muscovado sugar; 500g pack of short crust pastry; 175g light muscovado sugar; 2 eggs; 150ml double cream; 1tsp ground cinnamon; 1tsp ground ginger; 1 large pinch of grated nutmeg; 25g pecan nuts
Serves 6-8
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan, 160C/Gas Mark 4 and grease a 25cm diameter loose bottom flan tin.
2. Place the pumpkin in a mixing bowl with the butter and 1 dessertspoon sugar and stir with a metal spoon to evenly coat the pumpkin.
3. Tip into a roasting tin and bake until tender (approx 30 minutes) remove from the oven and cool.
4. While the pumpkin is cooking, roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line the tin, surplus pastry can be left and trimmed later. Chill for 30 minutes.
5. Place some baking parchment in the pastry case, fill with baking beans and bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, trim off any excess pastry and cook for a further 5 minutes.
6. Whilst the pastry is cooking prepare the filling by placing the cooled roasted pumpkin, sugar, cream, eggs and spices into the bowl of a food processor.
7. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared pastry case and place pecans nuts around diameter of the tart face side down.
8. Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is firm to the touch.
9. Remove from the oven and serve warm or cold with a drizzle of cream.
