Pumpkin is frequently used in Turkey in sweet as well as savory dishes. This is a “cheese” with an unusual, delicious flavor. It is best made the night before and keeps very well for days in the refrigerator. You need the large pumpkins with the sweet orange flesh. They are winter vegetables, but you can now buy them most of the year in Asian and Middle Eastern stores, where they are sold by the slice, weighing between 1 pound and 2 pounds, the seeds and stringy fibers removed. Some greengrocers also sell them by the slice. In Turkey, this dessert is served with the very thick cream call kaymak (see page 218) but clotted cream or mascarpone will do very well. It is very rich, so serve small portions.

　　

Ingredients

serves 10

　　4 to 4 1/2 pounds pumpkin slices

　　2 cups sugar

　　1 1/2 cups walnuts, finely chopped

　　To serve: 1 cup clotted cream or mascarpone

　　

Step 1

Prepare the pumpkin. Scrape away any remaining seeds or stringy bits. The rind is very thin and hard. It is more easily removed if you first cut the slices into chunks. Lay the chunks, skin side facing you, and cut it away, pressing down with force with a large, heavy knife.

　　

Step 2

Cut the flesh into pieces of about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches. Put them in a wide saucepan with 1 cup water, and cook, tightly covered so that they steam, over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the flesh is very tender. Drain and mash the flesh with a potato masher. Continue to cook, now uncovered, so that most of the liquid evaporates.

　　

Step 3

Stir in the sugar and continue to cook until all the water is absorbed, stirring often and making sure that the purée doesn’t burn.

　　

Step 4

Spread the paste on a serving plate, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in the refrigerator overnight. Serve cold, sprinkled all over with walnuts, and accompanied by the cream or mascarpone.

　　Arabesque