It's fall, and I have pumpkin pie on my mind. I haven't made many of them myself, but luckily I have eaten a lot of them, and pumpkin pie filling made from scratch always beats the filling from the can.
Yes, this is a bit of work, but a farm grown pumpkin to celebrate the harvest? Totally worth it. Here is a straightforward recipe for one pie, start to finish.
The pumpkin
Cut a small baking pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast it cut side down on a tray at 400°F for about 45 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. Scoop the flesh out and blend it smooth. If it looks watery, press a small plate down on it and pour off the liquid. You need 2 cups for the pie, and any extra freezes well.
The crust
Mix 1 1/4 cups of flour with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cut in 1/2 cup of cold butter until it looks like coarse crumbs, then add ice water a tablespoon at a time, 3 or 4 in total, until it just holds together. Wrap it and chill it for 30 minutes, then roll it out and press it into a 9 inch pie plate.
The filling
Whisk together 2 cups of the pumpkin, 2 eggs, 1 cup of whipping cream (or 1 cup of half and half and a third egg), 3/4 cup of sugar (or 1/2 cup of maple syrup), 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg and cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pour it into the crust.
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then turn it down to 350°F for another 40 to 50 minutes, until the centre still has a slight wobble. Let it cool for at least 2 hours before you cut it. Whipped cream on top is never a bad idea.