Pumpkin delights: Exploring health benefits and culinary versatility

At this time of year, pumpkins are available almost everywhere, and you can buy them at an affordable price. They are suitable for cooking, baking, frying, or pickling and can serve as a base for both savoury and sweet dishes. Many people limit themselves to creamy soups, but pumpkin is also an excellent ingredient for more elaborate dishes. In an à la tiramisu version, it performs exceptionally well.

Pumpkin is a distinctive vegetable. It can reach immense sizes, has a beautiful autumn colour, and is a very versatile ingredient in the kitchen. In Europe, pumpkins most likely appeared thanks to Christopher Columbus and his expeditions. This vegetable was a staple of the Incan diet, so pumpkins are also called the "gold from the land of the Incas."

Pumpkin is a source of beta-carotene, which helps to neutralize the effects of free radicals, preventing, among other things, cancer. Beta-carotene also helps to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. This prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and reduces the risk of heart disease. Additionally, beta-carotene, as a derivative of vitamin A, positively affects vision, supporting the proper functioning of the macula, which improves vision in low light conditions and prevents degenerative changes and cataracts.

Pumpkin is also a gentle vegetable that can be one of the first foods introduced to the diet of infants. It is also recommended for pregnant women and people with motion sickness, as both the flesh and seeds of the pumpkin have antiemetic properties. Pumpkin also soothes stomach ailments. It is recommended for people with ulcers, stomach erosions, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It improves metabolism and supports weight loss, especially when combined with spicy spices. Particularly noteworthy are pumpkin seeds (read more about them HERE).

Pumpkin is often used to prepare aromatic creamy soups; sometimes, it is added to jams, such as apple jam, or in the form of purée, it lands on plates. However, it is worth knowing that pumpkin can perfectly enrich our autumn-winter menu, providing nutritional value and lots of flavour. An excellent example of the versatility of pumpkin in the kitchen is the recipe for pumpkin tiramisu.

Ingredients:

              
• 250 grams mascarpone cheese,
• 200 millilitres heavy cream 36%,
• 200 grams pumpkin purée,
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar + 1 teaspoon for whipping the cream,
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon,
• a pinch of nutmeg,
• 80 grams ladyfingers,
• 120 millilitres freshly brewed strong coffee mixed with Amaretto, rum, or brandy.

Directions:

1. Whip the mascarpone with 100 millilitres of cream and sugar.
2. Add the pumpkin purée, a pinch of nutmeg, and a teaspoon of cinnamon when the cream is thick.
3. Soak the ladyfingers in the warm coffee mixed with alcohol and place them at the bottom of the serving glasses or baking dish. Then, spread half of the cream mixture over them.
4. Place another layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers on top of the cream and add another layer of the cream mixture.
5. Whip the remaining 100 millilitres of cream to stiff peaks with the powdered sugar.
6. Cover the pumpkin tiramisu with the whipped cream. Dust with additional cocoa, cinnamon, or cinnamon and vanilla sugar.

Enjoy your delicious and nutritious pumpkin tiramisu!