Welcome to the new edition of our column Zero Waste in the Kitchen, created to transform waste into valuable ingredients for new recipes. We often throw away parts of vegetables that, instead, can be recovered and enhanced in the kitchen, helping us to reduce food waste. The less-used parts of vegetables are in fact rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals that are essential for our well-being.
Are you ready to discover today's featured ingredient? 🥁
Pumpkin seeds
They are generally eliminated when we clean the pumpkin, but in reality they are a real concentrate of nutrients: rich in vegetable proteins, fibers, good fatty acids and minerals such as magnesium e zinc. With a little’ imagination, pumpkin seeds can turn into healthy snacks, delicious toppings, and even spreads.
Zero waste crackers with pumpkin seeds
A crunchy and tasty snack, perfect to enjoy alone or with hummus and cheeses.
Ingredients
- Inner seeds of 1 medium pumpkin (about 100 g)
- 150 g of wheat or wholemeal flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 50 ml of water (or as needed)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Spices to taste (paprika, rosemary, pepper...)
Preparation
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Extract the seeds from the pumpkin and separate them from the internal filaments. Rinse them and dry them well.
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Toast the seeds in a pan for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring, until golden.
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In a bowl mix flour, salt, spices, oil and water until you obtain a compact dough.
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Add the roasted seeds and mix well.
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Roll out the dough with a rolling pin between two sheets of baking paper up to a thickness of approximately 3 mm.
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Cut into squares or rectangles and transfer to a baking tray.
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Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 15–20 minutes, until the crackers turn golden and crispy.
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Let cool before serving.
Suggest: perfect as a hunger-breaking snack, to spread with hummus or as an accompaniment to cheeses.
Italian 
English 
