'Cabello de ángel' (pumpkin purée)

Ingredients

Ingredients for 4 people: 1 'cidra cayote' (special pumpkin for pumpkin purée). The same weight in sugar as pumpkin flesh. 1 cinnamon stick or a piece of lemon rind.

Preparation

Choose the ripest pumpkin possible, and using a knife separate the rind until the pumpkin is clean. Cut the flesh into pieces and remove all the seeds; cook the flesh in a cooking pot with water until it turns soft; allow to cool. Squeeze well with your hands, and the strands will separate.Return to the pan with cold water. Allow to boil again, then leave to stand. Drain well using a colander and allow to dry; weigh and then add the same weight in sugar. Heat the pan, with the sugar, cinnamon and a tenth of the water to the sugar to make the syrup; cook until reaching the tip of the strands; then add the pumpkin flesh and cook until the strands are tender and the syrup quite thick. It can be used to fill tarts, madeleines, etc.