Cheap “pineapples” made from pumpkin – I marinate it for the winter according to an old Baltic recipe

I’ve been pickling pumpkin for the winter for 10 years now – it turns out like pineapples. Spicy-sweet-sour pieces in syrup can be eaten as a dessert, used as a filling for pies, or added to porridge. I also like to eat “pineapples” with baked chicken. Delicious any way

A little background

I learned about this recipe on one of the culinary forums. An Estonian woman told how pumpkins are prepared for the winter in the Baltic countries. It is cut into pieces and marinated in a syrup of vinegar, sugar and spices. It turns out very unusual in taste and structure.

Pumpkin pickle in a glass container on a wooden table.

The pumpkin crunches pleasantly in the mouth and is somewhat reminiscent of pineapples. In winter, it can be stored in the refrigerator, or rolled into jars and lowered into the cellar.

Before that, we kept the pumpkin fresh, and part of the harvest spoiled. They made pumpkin porridge with it and baked it with sugar. But these dishes quickly become boring. So I didn’t think long and immediately marinated the pumpkin according to the Estonian recipe. I couldn't resist and tried it while it was still warm. I was very surprised. It turned out without a characteristic aftertaste, sweet and sour with spicy notes. If you eat a piece with your eyes closed, you might actually think it's pineapple.

Original recipe

I wrote down the recipe for pickled pumpkin from an Estonian woman in my notebook. I will rewrite it verbatim:

1. Use yellow pumpkin, sweet, large, not forage.
2. For 1 kg of peeled pumpkin, take 1.5 cups of sugar, 500 ml of water, 3.5 tbsp.spoons of 30% vinegar (or 90 ml of 9% table vinegar), 6 allspice peas, 8 pcs. cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 cm ginger root, half nutmeg.
3. Cut the pumpkin into 2 x 2 cm cubes.
4. Pour water with sugar and vinegar, leave overnight (can be until the evening of the next day).
5. Grate the ginger and nutmeg and add to the pumpkin with the rest of the spices.
6. Place in a saucepan over medium heat and cook for 5-7 minutes until translucent.
7. Let sit for 30 minutes with the spices, then remove them. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

It is better not to deviate from the recipe. Before cooking, the pumpkin must be marinated well so that it boils and remains elastic. The maximum that can be done is to replace fresh ginger and nutmeg with ground ones.

The preparation is simple, it is impossible to make a mistake. The hardest part for me is peeling the pumpkin. I advise you to first cut it into 6-8 pieces. It will be much easier to peel off the hard crust.

Improved recipe

For my little grandson, I decided to try making pickled pumpkin without sugar. I replaced sugar with honey, and table vinegar with apple cider vinegar. It turned out even tastier than the original. Pumpkin, as a delicacy, is exquisite, with a pleasant subtle aroma. Also useful. The grandson eats with pleasure.

That's what I'm doing:

1. I buy a small nutmeg pumpkin weighing 0.7-1 kg.
2. I peel it and cut it into cubes.
3. I pour in a syrup of 100 ml of 6% apple cider vinegar, a glass of water, 100 ml of squeezed orange juice and 3 tbsp. spoons of honey.
4. I put it in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
5. Cook for 5 minutes with the addition of 4 allspice peas, 5 cloves, a pinch of cinnamon, and the zest of 1 orange.
6. I let it cool and pick out the cloves and pepper.
7. I pour it into a clean jar with a screw cap and screw it on.

This pickled pumpkin can be stored in the refrigerator.But usually it doesn’t last long – it’s too delicious. But I still advise you to wait a little. After 1-1.5 months it infuses and becomes even better.

Important point. You need to cut the pumpkin into pieces of the same size. If they are different, then part may be overcooked, while the other part will remain raw.

Bonus: Pumpkin Pineapple Pie Recipe

Pickled pumpkin from jars is very good for filling pies. In fact, the filling is already ready. You just need to knead the dough. For him we take:

• salt – 0.5 teaspoon;
• sugar – 1 tbsp. spoon;
• egg – 1 pc.;
• creamy margarine or butter – 60 g;
• wheat flour – 1.5-2 cups;
• milk – 100 ml;
• dry yeast (“fast”) – 2 teaspoons.

The dough will rise for about an hour. Making pies is simple:

1. Sift 1.5 cups of flour into a deep bowl, mix with yeast, sugar and salt.
2. Beat in a warm egg, melted margarine and milk (at body temperature).
3. Mix the dough. It should turn out airy. Wrap the bowl with cling film and place in a warm place for an hour.
4. Place the pumpkin pieces (500 g) in a colander and leave to drain the syrup.
5. After an hour, lightly sprinkle the dough with flour, knead (it is important not to overcrowd), and divide into balls.
6. Lightly mash the pumpkin pieces with a fork and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. spoon of corn starch.
7. Roll out the dough balls, place the filling in the center, connect the edges of the cake, and lightly press the seam with your hand.
8. Fry the pies in a large amount of vegetable oil over medium heat under the lid (about 4 minutes on each side).

It is advisable to eat the pies right away, while they are hot, piping hot, so to speak. You can top it with sour cream or yogurt.

When I first cooked marinated pumpkin, almost no one knew about this recipe. But he is so good that he quickly went to the masses.Everyone likes pumpkin “like pineapples,” even those who usually categorically refuse to eat this vegetable. If you're worried, make a liter jar to try. But I am sure that this taste cannot leave a negative impression.