Week 19: My Pumpkin Pie Can Beat Up Your Honor Student

Pumpkin Pie
Source: Adapted from Alan Carter's Pumpkin Pie Recipe, printed in the November 2010 issue of Better Homes and Gardens

So, I'm behind. This is no shock to anyone who's been privy to this first few months of fellowship! I've been a cookin-up some great stuff... in the microwave. Oh yeah. Frozen vegetables. Frozen macaroni and cheese. Rinse and repeat.

But it is the holidays, after all... and the holidays call for at least some time in the kitchen, yes?

Several years back, I had some of the best pumpkin pie I've ever tasted, made by my good friend, Kristin. She told me her secret was starting from the pumpkin.

"You mean, like, out of a can?" I said.

She was kind enough not to make fun of me.

I learned pretty quickly that beginning from the pumpkin really isn't too bad. Also, it has the added perk of making me feel like some kind of savvy Martha Stewart-meets-American Pioneer Woman surviving off of nothing but her wits and bland, orange gourds.

Alan Carter, the pastry chef at Mission Beach Cafe in California, said this about pumpkins: "Pumpkin is a squash without much taste. Your grandmother's pumpkin pie may be good, but give it a boost with more spices for goodness' sake." Agreed, Alan. In my opinion, starting from the pumpkin gives you a golden opportunity to do this. If it's done correctly, you have a chance to add a layer of flavor to your pie filling before you've even started in on the recipe.

To begin, pick a sugar pie pumpkin from the pumpkin patch or your local grocery. Whole Foods had a nice selection this year of organic pie pumpkins. Whatever your choice, make sure you're choosing a pumpkin meant for pie-making. These pumpkins have a higher concentration of natural sugars and a more pleasing texture that will make a better filling in the long run.

Prepping Your Pumpkin Puree
Good for pies, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cheesecake...

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Heat a large stockpot full of water and put the pumpkin in the pot, whole. Boil it for about 20 minutes. Don't overcook it- you want to end up with a firm, tender squash instead of a pile of mush. I've made that mistake, and it is NOT pretty.
3. Split the pumpkin into halves with a large knife and scoop out the innards and seeds. Discard.
4. Cut further into quarters.
5. Peel the outer rind away from the pumpkin quarters. If boiled thoroughly, this should be very easy to do.
6. Place pumpkin pieces in a shallow, oven-safe pan. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and drizzle with molasses. Make a real mess out of this- the more you spice this, the better off you are in the long run.
   
7. Place the pan in the oven and roast the pumpkin pieces for 20 to 25 minutes.
   
8. After you've roasted the pumpkin, puree it in an electric mixer or food processor.
   

You can proceed directly to pie-making, or you can store this. Refrigerate after cooling completely for about a week. It also freezes very well.

Pumpkin Pie
1 piecrust for 9-inch pie
1 1/4 c canned pumpkin
2/3 c packed dark brown sugar
fresh ginger root
2 1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 ts salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 + 1/2 c whipping cream
1/2 ts vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Press crust pastry into a 9-inch pan and prebake.
2. In a saucepan, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pie spice. Peel ginger root and grate generously into mixture (I used approximately 3 tablespoons.
3. Stir over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes to integrate flavors. This heating will also help prevent your pie from cracking in the oven.
4. Beat in eggs and add cream and vanilla. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 50 minutes.It will have some "jiggle" left in the custard, but should seem fairly set.
   

It was that good. Very creamy and wonderful. Using fresh ginger instead of ground added a lightness to the flavor that was very welcome. Next time, I might add a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin to allow the pie filling to retain some of the lift it has when it comes out of the oven (it naturally settles as it cools).

I'd love to hear from anyone who has their own tried-and-true pumpkin pie secrets!

A full five foodie forks on this one. I'm going to have some right now.