pumpkin pie

What would Thanksgiving be without pumpkin pie? For those of us who LOVE this traditional dessert, we can’t imagine the holiday without the sweet, fragrant filling and flakey crust of pumpkin pie, so perfect with coffee after the Thanksgiving feast. 

The tradition started with the English settlers in Plymouth who brought their pie-making culture to America. The pumpkin, which was a new food for the pilgrims, was soon incorporated into the delicious pie form and gastronomical history was made. It did take a few centuries for pumpkin pie to evolve to what we now are all familiar with. 

I love to buy sugar pumpkins and roast them, as opposed to using canned pumpkin. It’s pretty easy, and I usually prepare it the day before. 

All you do is cut the pumpkins in half, remove the seeds and stem and place cut-side up on a baking sheet. Bake until pumpkin flesh is tender, let cool. It’s easy to peel off the skin once cooled and then puree the pumpkin in a food processor. 

A little water may be needed to smooth the consistency. Here’s my basic recipe which also includes freshly grated ginger and nutmeg. Happy Thanksgiving!   

     

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1 sugar pumpkin, baked, peeled and then puréed

1 (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.

2.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

ciao! fabiana

Check out more fun pie recipes here.