Preheat the oven to 325°F. Rinse 2 cups fresh pumpkin seeds with about 4 cups cold water around 60°F for 2 to 3 minutes. Rub the seeds gently between your fingers so the stringy pumpkin pulp releases. Then drain them and spread them into one loose layer. Pat firmly for 3 to 5 minutes and leave them exposed for another 10 minutes so surface moisture can evaporate. The clean seeds should feel almost tack-free when you pinch a few together. You'll see the shells turn matte instead of wet and glossy. Any remaining orange fibers should be easy to spot and remove. If the seeds still feel damp, they'll steam during roasting and the shells won't crisp properly. Dry the seeds thoroughly because surface water blocks efficient browning.

Heat the oven to 325°F. Add the dried seeds to a mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss with a folding and scooping motion for 60 to 90 seconds. Scrape from the bottom repeatedly so every shell gets a thin coating without oily puddles. The seeds should look lightly glossy but not soaked. Garlic powder and pepper will cling in tiny speckles across most shells. You shouldn't see dry seasoning sitting in the bottom of the bowl. If you add too much oil, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with Parmesan Cheese can roast greasy instead of crisp. Use a thin oil coating because excess fat slows moisture loss from the shells.

Spread the seasoned seeds into one uneven layer and roast at 325°F for 10 to 12 minutes. At minute 6, move the seeds from the darker outer edges toward the center and shift the center seeds outward. Keep the layer loose so hot air can reach most shells. Don't wait for every seed to reach the same color because smaller seeds toast sooner. By minute 10, you'll hear occasional faint crackling and smell a warm nutty aroma. Most shells should turn pale gold while scattered edges deepen to amber. A few irregular dark patches are normal. Go much past 12 minutes now and the garlic can become bitter before the cheese is added. Roast at 325°F because moderate heat browns the shells without scorching the seasonings. citeturn879350search4turn879350search2

Pull the seeds out after 10 to 12 minutes and scatter 1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over them. Toss quickly so the cheese contacts the warm oil-coated shells. Return them to the 325°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Then remove the tray and let the seeds cool untouched for 10 minutes. The residual heat finishes setting the cheese crust. The Parmesan should look dry and lightly toasted rather than melted into thick puddles. You'll smell a sharper nutty cheese aroma and see irregular golden flecks stuck to the shells. (My first batch got all the cheese at the start, several spots turned bitter before the seeds crisped.) If you roast the cheese too long, it darkens fast. Add Parmesan late because its proteins brown faster than the pumpkin seed shells. citeturn879350search5turn879350search4