A Slice of Autumn - Pumpkin Pie

Now that it is October my hunger for fall foods is in full swing. To kick things off, I baked a pumpkin pie last night. It was my first attempt and probably several years overdue since my husband loves pumpkin pie. I had my doubts but it turned out quite tasty - a pleasing subtle mix of pumpkin, custard, sweet and spice. Here's a picture of my golden beauty!

The recipe came from the Joy of Cooking (I wanted some explanation since I've heard that pumpkin pies can be a little tricky due to their custard-y nature) and I cross-referenced with one from Gourmet via Epicurious.

A few things to note:

• You'll need to pre-bake the crust, otherwise it will get soggy from the soupy squash/custard mixture.
• In addition to pre-baking, you'll need to brush the entire crust with a mixture of egg yolk and salt to "seal" it from the wetness and help prevent sogginess.
• The crust should be warm/hot when you fill it with the pumpkin mixture.
• Use two eggs for a firmer, more pumpkin flavored pie or three eggs for a softer, more custard-like pie.
• For some odd reason, prepared pumpkin comes in 15 oz cans. The Joy Of Cooking recipe called for 2 cups (16 oz) but one can should be plenty - I ended up having extra filling that I could not fit in the crust.

Makes one 9-inch pie, 8 servings

Ingredients

• Prepared pie crust (see recipe)
• 2 to 3 large eggs
• 2 cups (1 can) canned pumpkin puree - I used an organic one from Trader Joe's. (You can also prepare your own freshly cooked pumpkin to make the filling but I am just not that hard core.)
• 1 1/2 cups light cream or mix 3/4 cup heavy cream and 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinammon
• 1 tsp ground ginger (I didn't have this so I left it out but it sounds good)
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated or ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves or allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Position rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Make pie crust and bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Remove the crust, brush thoroughly with a mix of egg yolk and a pinch of salt and bake for another 2 minutes to set the egg wash.

4. Turn oven down to 375.

5. Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl.

6. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together thoroughly until combined.

7. If the crust has cooled, warm it in the oven until it is hot to the touch.

8. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the crust and bake until the center of the filling seems set but quivery - like jello - when you nudge the pan. Should take roughly 45 minutes but this varies by oven (as I said, mine took a bit longer).

9. Remove the pie and let cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for up to 1 day.

10. Serve cold or at room temperature with whipped cream.

You might also like:

• Pumpkin Bread Two Ways
• Grandma Fran's Apple Bundt Cake
• Rustic Plum Tart

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