The patisson squash is a lesser-known type of squash. Here we will show you what distinguishes this special variety and how you can use the “Ufo pumpkin” in the kitchen.

Patisson squash: taste, color and storage

The patisson squash is a particularly small variety of squash that only reaches a diameter of about ten to 20 centimeters. Since the flat shape of the vegetable is reminiscent of a small UFO, you can sometimes find it under the term UFO pumpkin or bishop’s or emperor’s hat. The pumpkin variety is colored white, yellow or green. Sometimes the bowl is also provided with stripes or dots.

If you bought a patisson squash or even grew it yourself, you should eat the vegetable as soon as possible. It has a significantly shorter shelf life than other varieties. Therefore, store it in a cool and dark place (e.g. in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator or in the basement) and use it within a few days.

How to use patisson squash

Slightly larger patisson squash should be peeled before use. You can eat smaller specimens with the skin and also use them raw in a salad, for example. The best way to do this is to grate the small UFO pumpkins into small pieces. If you don’t want to use it raw, you can cook it almost any other way, like boiling, blanching, sautéing, or baking.

You can pickle cooked patisson squash to make it last longer. For a filling main course, you cut the squash in half, bake it in the oven and then fill it with things like couscous salad, red lentil salad or rice salad. With small patisson squash, you only cut off the stalk and some of the surrounding skin as a “lid” and then bake them whole.

For a side dish, you can puree the Ufo pumpkins or prepare them in the oven as pumpkin wedges or pumpkin fries. You can serve this with a plum chutney or onion chutney, for example. Finally, the autumn vegetables are also suitable for soups or stews.