Recipe from Michael Durr
Raise your hand if you enjoy carving pumpkins! Okay! Put your hands down. Having spent many fall seasons perfecting the art of roasting pumpkin seeds, I developed my own spicy take on this delicious seasonal snack.
1: Excavate the Pumpkin
Use a large metal spoon to carve out the inside of the pumpkin and put all the guts into a large bowl. Then using your hands separate every last seed into another bowl.
2: Remove Excess Residue
Put all the seeds into a strainer and rinse and remove as much excess pumpkin guts as possible. Once complete, spread all the seeds onto wax paper and let dry. To speed up drying process, you can put a small oscillating fab on the counter. NOTE: You do not want seeds to be remotely wet when you start to roast them.
3: Season the Seeds
Toss all the dry seeds into a bowl and mix with hot chili oil, cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper and kosher salt. I have even added finely chopped fresh jalapeños for added spice and flavor. If this sounds too adventuresome, you can always go the more traditional route using extra virgin olive oil and salt. You could even pick up some seasoning from Apricot Sun at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market and make a batch of Zataar flavored pumpkin seeds. (Yes, I have done it and they were terrific.) Once all the seeds are lathered up, distribute them onto a large lightly greased cookie sheet for event roasting.
4: Roast’em
The seasoned pumpkin seeds get roasted on the top shelf of the oven at 375°F for about 25 minutes, (time may vary slightly depending on size and amount of seeds.) tossing the seeds every 5 minutes will ensure even browning. NOTE: When you open your oven, you might be hit with a spicy dose of hot steam Be prepared! When the seeds turn a golden brown color, they are ready!
5: Enjoy and Share
Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating and store in an air-tight container. We recommend glass jars. Hopefully, you share your seeds with others and even compare different flavors.
@BroadRippleMag wants to see your carved pumpkins! Tag your pumpkin images with @broadripplemag @the_crafty_animal_indinapolis and @coilbroadripple on Instagram. We will repost our favorite creations and you will be entered to win a fall prize pack! #sharebroadripple
