The shell is fun to carve, but it’s the guts of the pumpkin that offer scrumptious, slimy seeds for roasting. They’re easy, lip-smacking tasty, and the healthiest thing you’ll eat on Halloween.
Acquire the seeds.
Scoop out a nice pile of pumpkin guts. Squish through the mess, picking out the seeds and detaching as much of the stringy goo as possible. This is the perfect job for kids.
Give your seeds a wash in the colander to remove a little more of the sticky stuff. Don’t stress about getting them perfectly clean — a bit of leftover pumpkin flesh will add flavor.
Oil and season.
Find a baking sheet with raised edges to prevent escapees. Drizzle the sheet with olive oil, dump in your rinsed seeds, and add seasonings. I use a combination of garlic salt and cajun spice, but try hot sauce, soy sauce, curry powder, or anything else that makes your mouth happy.
Stir the seeds with your fingers until they’re all well-covered in oil and spice. Lick your fingers to make sure you’re happy with the spice mixture.
Bake.
Toss them into the oven at 350°–400°F. Stir periodically to prevent sticking or burning. When they’re golden brown on the edges, they’re done. Depending on how heavily you’ve loaded up your tray, it may take 15-30 minutes to toast your seeds.
Be careful — hot, oily pumpkin seeds will burn you.
Serve.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Keep hungry fingers clear until they’ve cooled off enough to eat. I’ve seen these served out of a hollowed mini pumpkin lined with foil, but I’m far too lazy to do this myself. I just eat them off the pan.
Conclusion
This project first appeared in Make: Halloween, page 70.
