Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Despite my general aversion to autumn — chiefly as a precursor to winter — I am an enormous fan of the many vegetables and fruits that come in season right now. This includes pumpkins, of course. One of the favorite fall treats for many North Americans is sweet pumpkin pie, served at many a family get-together and especially at Thanksgiving. Store-bought pumpkin pies and pumpkin pie fillings are always easy to find, but these really can't compare to the extraordinary flavor of pie filling made from fresh cooked pumpkin. Besides, the huge bins and shelves of large bright orange pumpkins are hard to resist, and cooking your own pie filling from a fresh pumpkin gives you the opportunity to roast the seeds later for an extra yummy treat.

Even a small pumpkin yields more pumpkin than you will need to make one or two pies, but pumpkin freezes well, so long as it is cooked. Boil or steam the pumpkin until tender and then mash. I suggest freezing it in one cup portions for future use.

As usual, I have prepared my own pie crust, but you can also purchase an unbaked single pie shell for this recipe.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: North American Published on November 11, 2007 Classic spiced pumpkin pie made at home with fresh pumpkin in a rich and flaky butter pie crust or an earthy whole wheat and olive oil pie crust Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes + more if making your own pie shell Print this recipe The following pumpkin pie filling recipe makes enough filling for two pies. Halve the recipe or freeze half the result if you want one pie. I used two different pastry recipes for the pies that I made, and I am providing both the recipes below. The flaky pie crust made with butter was richer but lighter than the whole wheat crust — most people would find this a more fitting and traditional accompaniment to the dense pumpkin filling. Double up either of the pie crust recipes to provide shells for two pies. Pumpkin pie filling: 1 1/8 cups cooked pumpkin* 1 large egg 1/3 to 1/2 cup honey, to taste 1 cup milk 1/4 cup skim milk powder 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon *Note: Boil, roast or steam the pumpkin until tender and then mash. Leftover mashed pumpkin can be frozen in 1 cup batches for easy portioning later. Instructions: Preheat an oven to 375°F. Mix together the pumpkin and egg in a large mixing bowl, then stir in the honey. In a separate bowl, slowly add 1/4 cup of the milk to the milk powder, salt and spices, being careful to remove all lumps. Then add the rest of the milk and blend thoroughly. Combine the milk mixture with the pumpkin and egg mixture and pour into a pie shell (see recipes for single pie crusts below). Bake for 50 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve hot, warm or cold. Makes filling for 2 pies Flaky butter pie crust: 1 cup all-purpose or pastry flour 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 8 pieces 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water Instructions: Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry cutter until the butter is reduced to very small pieces. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ice water over the dough and combine with a fork. The dough is ready for rolling once it holds together when you squeeze it. If the dough is too dry, add more of the ice water. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a flat circle shape with a floured rolling pin. Gently transfer the dough to the pie plate. Trim the dough to the shape of the plate and fold to make the crust edge. Crimp the edges. Cooks tip: If your dough is too dry to roll, add a few tablespoons of vodka. Too much water leads to more gluten formation, which results in a tougher crust. But more liquid makes the dough easier to roll, so adding vodka — which consists of 40 percent ethanol — makes for an easy-to-roll and tender crust because gluten does not form in ethanol. Makes 1 pie crust Whole wheat olive oil pie crust: 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/3 cup olive oil 1/4 cup cold water Instructions: Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Slowly add the olive oil and water and stir to mix. Form into a ball and roll out as thinly as possible on floured wax paper. Gently transfer the dough to the pie plate. Trim the dough to the shape of the plate and fold to make the crust edge. Crimp the edges. Makes 1 pie crust