PUMPKIN PIE - Fresh beats canned EVERY TIME...

For years I've been roasting Sugar Pumpkins for my pumpkin pies. They are so easy and VASTLY superior to the canned pumpkin version, plus they just look prettier!

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

So consider this the first of my series on holiday recipes - Fresh Pumpkin Pie.

RECIPE WITH LOTS OF PICTURES AFTER THE JUMP...

First get your pumpkins from any market with a good fall produce selection... you need to ask for sugar pumpkins, they are smaller and look like this...

Sugar Pumpkins

They are SO easy to roast...

NOTE: This doesn't have to be hard like I remember my mother's method; cutting up a raw pumpkin, then pealing it, then boiling it... TIME CONSUMING, YUCKY, MESSY, and resulting in SOGGY pumpkin flesh.

...simply cut them in half, scoop out the seeds...

Sugar Pumpkin

 and place them face down on a baking sheet, add a touch of water and roast them at 350... (about 40 mins)...

Face down, a touch of water; ready to roast

... until they feel soft when you press on them.

Out of the oven and ready to scoop

 Once they are cooled, scoop out the roasted flesh...

Scooping roasted pumpkin... EASY AS PIE!!!

... and puree in a food processor. Once pureed, let the pumpkin settle and drain the excess liquid off before measuring for the pie mixture.

NOTE: Same method can be used for squash; fresh pumpkin and squash make the BEST soup, or ravioli filling, or cookies... the sky's the limit!!!

Before we continue to the recipe, here's another picture with the fall leaves (for the leaves simply use extra pie dough and cut with fall leaf cookie cutters). I water-colored the leaves on this one using egg whites and food coloring; I then assembled them with pecan halves dipped in chocolate and rolled in chopped pecans to create acorns...

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

Regardless of which way you choose to embellish your pies, adding a little extra fuss is fun, and the WOW factor worth it!

Oh, and if you do the leaves, bake them separately and place them on the pies once they are out of the oven.

Fresh Pumpkin Pie
Filling:

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 12oz can evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups roasted pumpkin

Method:

Preheat Oven to 450F. In a mixing bowl on medium speed mix together eggs, sugar, and evaporated milk. Next add flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Once thoroughly mixed add pumpkin and mix on low speed until incorporated. Pour filling into 9” pie shell. Bake at 450f for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350F and bake additional 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted comes clean.

Regarding pie crust (often the most challenging thing to perfect). I often seek out good whole food ingredients, ready to bake crusts. But if I can't find one I like, this is the recipe I use... however, I've consulted my good friend and pastry chef - Mark - to see if he can offer the perfect pie crust recipe! Once I hear from Mark, I'll either leave this recipe with his approval or post his BETTER recipe!

Basic 9" Pie Crust
Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 4 tablespoons (or as needed) iced water

Method:
Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Cut chilled butter cubes into flour mixture just until crumbly (pea sized chunks). Use just enough iced water to bind the dough. Be careful to NOT over mix or your crust will be tough. Form dough into a ball, and chill for at least one hour. After chilling roll out dough and continue with pie recipe.