Blue Ribbon Pumpkin Pie

It seems that fall is already creeping in, with just a hint of it in the air and the pumpkins beginning to ripen on the vine.  Whether it makes its appearance early or not, why not get ready by making your own pumpkin pie with your very own pumpkins?  A friend and I recently adapted this recipe for "scratch up" pumpkin pie from the book we have come to call The Pie Bible (all the credit goes to her and her family for this find!  Written in 1965, it is now out of print, but more on that in another post).  The following is how we took a county fair pumpkin and turned it into a blue ribbon pumpkin pie!

Blue Ribbon Pumpkin Pie (Scratch Up!)*

*It should be noted that this pumpkin really was entered in the county fair, so by the time it became a pumpkin pie we were a tad late for entry--but those who tasted it pronounced it blue ribbon worthy.  You be the judge!

Step 1: Carve and Roast the Pumpkin

Carving the pumpkin isn't unlike brain surgery--cut a hole in the top, scoop out the innards (you may want to save and roast the seeds for later snacking or as a garnish for soups), then whack your pumpkin into a few manageable chunks and place them on a cookie sheet, rind side down.  It should be noted that pumpkins with dense flesh tend to work best for this type of recipe (i.e. those of the pie pumpkin variety--most pumpkins grown for making jack o'lanters, while cute, are too watery).  Next, baste the flesh with melted butter and sprinkle with a handful of brown sugar a pinch of nutmeg, then pop the pumpkin into a 350 degree oven and bake until it is soft (and your house smells like heaven!).  This usually takes 1-2 hours, depending on the density of the pumpkin.  It will brown slightly on top and look something like this when it is done:

Step 2: Puree the Pumpkin

Allow the pumpkin to cool slightly to avoid the flavor of singed fingers in your pumpkin puree, but while it is still warm scoop the pumpkin flesh out of the rind and into a food processor.  Add 1/4 - 1/3 cup of water (just enough so that the puree moves easily through the processor but does not become watery--you don't want standing pools of water in the puree when you're finished) and pulse until smooth.  Lather, rinse, repeat with all your pumpkin until you have more pumpkin puree than you know what to do with.  (NOTE: If you really do have more pumpkin puree than you know what to do with, an obliging nearby one year old would probably be happy to help you make a dent in it...OR, you could make pumpkin soup or pumpkin ravioli, if you're feeling less adventurous). 

Step 3:  The Pie, The Pie!

This recipe was originally from Farm Journal--and you can't say those farm wives of 1965 didn't know how to make a mean pumpkin pie!  Preferring a few extra spices in ours, and having such a bounty of pumpkin puree that we needed to use up, we tweaked here and there and also doubled the recipe.  (NOTE: this recipe is for the filling only--you will need two 9" unbaked pie shells set and ready to go as well.  Use your favorite recipe or see the end of this post for a super simple pie crust recipe that is sure to please).

Ingredients:

3 1/2 c. fresh pumpkin puree
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly ground, if you happen to have the nuts)
2 tsp flour
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp of vanilla (we used Mexican Vanilla, which has a stronger, richer flavor, but any will do)
1 1/2 c. evaporated milk
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream (make sure you save a little extra for topping your pie later!)

And then...
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices and flour.
3. Add eggs, mix well.  Add milk, cream and vanilla; mix. 
4. Pour into two 9" unbaked pie shells.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 - 55 minutes, or until knife inserted near center comes out clean (pie should appear to be "set").

Let cool, top with a delicious dollop of whipped cream and savor this little taste of Autumn! 

The finished product!

Pate Brisee (Pie Crust)

This is a Martha Stewart recipe that is (uncharacteristically) very easy to make.  It's all done in the food processor and makes two delicious 9" pie shells in record time--as with any pastry recipe, make sure to keep it cool (your butter that is) and chill, chill, chill.  I have the best luck using a marble rolling pin to roll it out.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pate-brisee-pie-dough