Pumpkin pie from real organic pumpkins is easier than you think!
Best served barely warm, with freshly whipped cream kissed with maple syrup and vanilla.
1 medium sugar pumpkin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie (see below)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup honey, warmed slightly for easy pouring and mixing
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
To Roast/Prepare the Pumpkin:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Lightly oil the cut surface. Place cut-side down on a glass baking dish or baking sheet with four rimmed sides. Bake until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork (usually about one-half hour to 45 minutes). Cool until just warm. Scoop out the cooked flesh from the skin and puree.
For the Pie:
Increase oven preheat temperature to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). In large bowl, blend together 2 cups pumpkin puree, spices, and salt. Beat in eggs, honey, milk, and cream. Pour filling into pie shell. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes at the new temperature, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge of pie comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Options:
Reducing the amount of honey to 3/4 allows the pumpkin flavor to come out more in this recipe, and also makes it less sweet.
Instead of baking in a pie crust, bake it in greased custard cups or pie dish. The result will be gluten-free pumpkin custard!
If you want to make the pie or custard extravagant, mince up candied ginger and spread a layer on the bottom of the crust, or bottom of the dish, before filling.
Exclude milk as desired, and substitute soy, rice or almond milk.
Pie Crust
2/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces
2 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
6-7 tablespoons cold water
In the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, pulse the butter, flour, salt, and sugar until the butter is the size of peas. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, while mixing on low. When the dough just barely starts to come together, turn off the mixer and stop adding water. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead briefly until the dough is cohesive. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.