Description
Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are the edible seeds of pumpkins and other squash varieties from the Cucurbita family. These flat oval seeds have been cultivated for thousands of years, with evidence of domestication in Mesoamerica more than 7,500 years ago, where they formed an important part of early agricultural diets.
In baking, pumpkin seeds add a pleasant nutty flavour and gentle crunch. They are commonly mixed into breads, health loaves, rusks, crackers and seed mixes, or sprinkled over rolls and artisan loaves before baking. They also work well in muffins, granola bars, breakfast cereals and oat bakes, and can be used as a topping for salads, yoghurt, desserts and roasted vegetables. The seeds can be eaten raw, lightly toasted, or ground into seed butter, and the oil pressed from pumpkin seeds is used in cooking and specialty dressings.
