Roasted Bartlett Pear Puree

When I first started pureeing fruits and veggies for my little guy, I thought it was simply going to be steaming and processing.

After a little research, my eyes were opened to the world of roasting!

I LOVE roasting fruits for my little.  The fruit comes out so juicy and it makes life way easier because the skins peel right off (most of the time).

Today I am on the topic of pears (the little guy has been dealing with some constipation and pears are a great remedy for him...certainly better than prunes...well taste wise).  I have roasted several types of pears and Bartletts seem to roast the best and are generally easy to find.

If I plan on keeping the skins which I have recently started, I am sure to buy organic and give them a thourough washing before roasting.  Otherwise I use regular pears.  Peeling the pears tends to help my budget but I buy organic when I can.

What you need:

Bartlett Pears (I usually roast around 8 at a time and get a good amount of puree)

Cinnamon

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 400F.

Cut and core your pears (I save the ends, cores, and seed for composting or...feeding the local wildlife)

Place the pears flesh down in a glass baking dish or a metal baking dish covered in foil (both work well).

Roast the pear for around 20 mins.  The skins should bubble and the flesh should be fork tender (aka...if you can easily stick a fork in it...your good to go...learned that the other day on the food network).

Peel the skins away or you can leave them on if you prefer.

Put your pears in a food processor and begin to puree. 

This is where its up to your preference.  Puree to your desired texture.  You can also add water to thin your puree more.

You can also add the cinnamon to taste as you puree...clearly I like cinnamon...glad the little guy does too!

Once you reach your desired texture you can place your puree in the fridge for up to 3 days (be sure to use a BPA-free container).

or 

You can freeze your puree for up to 3 months.  I like to put mine in ice cube trays.  I cover with foil till frozen, then transfer to ziplock freezer bags.

When I'm ready to serve the puree, I just pop a couple cubes in the microwave for around a minute and we're good to go!

Have fun!