HOW TO TOAST PEPITAS

Pepita is the Spanish word for pumpkin seed; a word we’ve adopted into the English language. The difference between the two is that one has the outer shell or husk removed. There are some pumpkin varieties that produce hulless seeds.

While roasting pumpkin seeds is fun at Halloween. They’re higher in fiber and zinc if you eat the shell – but for use in baking, topping salads, granola or other dishes, prefer pepitas. I buy raw unsalted pepitas.

You can roast them in the oven or toaster oven, the direct heat of a skillet really makes them puff up and become nice and round. In fact, some of them even pop a little.

Ingredients

1/2 to 1 cup hulless pumpkin seeds or pepitas.

Instructions

1. Place a fry pan over medium high heat. NO oil.

2. Add only enough pepitas to cover the bottom of the pan.

3. Stay with the pepitas and give the pan a shake every so often.

4. As the pepitas heat, they will puff up, some might even pop - don't be alarmed.

5. Keep shaking the pan until they've turned mostly golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.

6. Pour out of the hot pan onto a plate to allow them to cool. Caution - if you leave them in the hot pan, they will continue to toast and may burn.