Pumpkin porridge with millet and tasty crust
6 servings
75 minutes
Pumpkin porridge with millet and a tasty crust is a cozy dish with deep roots in European cuisine, where pumpkin is valued for its softness and sweet flavor. Millet gives the dish a delicate texture, while baking with a sugary crust adds an appetizing crunch and caramel note. Historically, this porridge was made in the autumn season when pumpkins were abundant and served as a warming breakfast or light dinner. It has a rich, slightly sweet taste that harmonizes well with the creaminess and slight graininess of millet. Perfect for cold weather, especially with a cup of fragrant tea or fresh fruits.
1
Prepare the pumpkin. Clean it from seeds and skin, and cut into medium cubes.
- Pumpkin: 500 g
2
Place the pumpkin in a pot/deep skillet/kazan, cover with a lid, and boil until soft in a small amount of water over low heat (about 10-15 minutes). The water should be just enough to cover the pumpkin halfway or slightly less (the pumpkin should be steamed).
- Pumpkin: 500 g
- Water: 1 glass
3
Mash the cooked pumpkin by hand into puree (you can use a blender, but it doesn't taste as good).
- Pumpkin: 500 g
4
Add millet, salt, and 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to the pumpkin and mix.
- Millet: 70 g
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Sugar: 8 tablespoons
5
The porridge should be neither too thick nor too runny. If necessary, add milk/remaining pumpkin water/boiling water to the porridge. If desired, add a little butter to the porridge.
- Water: 1 glass
- Water: 1 glass
- Water: 1 glass
- Water: 1 glass
- Water: 1 glass
6
Level the porridge and sprinkle a thin but dense layer of semolina on top to prevent the sugar from dissolving into the porridge and to form a sugar crust.
- Semolina: 4 tablespoons
7
Sprinkle sugar on top in the same way as with semolina.
- Sugar: 8 tablespoons
8
Place the porridge in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
9
After the specified time, sprinkle the porridge with sugar again and, if there is a grill, place the container as close to the grill as possible and turn on the grill mode (at maximum) for 5-7 minutes. If there is no grill, then simply increase the oven temperature to maximum and bake the porridge until a golden and crispy crust forms (I can't specify the time - it all depends on the oven, but approximately, it's another 15 minutes).
- Sugar: 8 tablespoons