November is the time when there are still bags of beans in the pantry, but the pumpkin still doesn’t run out. It seems that beans can only be added to salad, and there is nowhere to put the pumpkin. But they can be made into a thick, velvety paste with a nutty flavor and a slight sweetness. It does not require meat, oil, long simmering or sterilization. Prepared the evening before and kept cool until spring.
What you will need:
Dry white beans – 500 g
Pumpkin – 700 g
Onion – 1 pc.
Garlic – 2 cloves
Salt – to taste
Black pepper or smoked paprika – a pinch
Clean jars with screw caps – 3-4 pcs. 0.5 l each
How to cook:
- Soak the beans in cold water the evening before. In the morning, drain the water, add fresh water and cook until soft, about 40–60 minutes.
- Cut the pumpkin into cubes.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic.
- Simmer the onion and garlic with the pumpkin in a saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water, covered, for 15-20 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft.
- Drain the beans.
- Combine beans and pumpkin in one container.
- Grind everything with a blender to a smooth, thick mass.
- Add salt, pepper or paprika and stir.
- Warm the paste over low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring until everything comes together and thickens a little.
- Place the hot pasta in dry, clean jars, close the lids and turn upside down for 15 minutes.
- Store in a cellar, on a glazed balcony or in a pantry at temperatures up to +10°C. After opening in the refrigerator.
This paste can be added to borscht instead of dressing, mixed with pasta, spread on toast or diluted with water to create a creamy soup.
Bon appetit!
