Scratch Pumpkin Pie Recipes

HOMEMADE FRESH PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Prepare pie crust by mixing together the flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour; add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time (you may need only 3 tablespoons, or up to 4 tablespoons). Mix dough and repeat until dough is moist enough to hold together.
• With lightly floured, hands shape dough into a ball. On a lightly floured board roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness. With a sharp knife, cut dough 1 1/2 inch larger than the upside-down 8- to 9-inch pie pan. Gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and transfer it right-side up onto the pie pan. Unroll, easing dough into the bottom of the pie pan.
• In a large bowl, beat pumpkin with evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt with an electric mixer or immersion blender. Mix well. Pour into a prepared crust. Bake 40 minutes or until when a knife is inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean.

CLASSIC PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. On lightly floured surface, shape dough into flattened round. Wrap pastry in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable.
• Heat oven to 425°F. On lightly floured surface, roll pastry with floured rolling pin into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.
• In medium bowl, beat eggs slightly with wire whisk. Beat in remaining filling ingredients. Place pastry-lined pie plate on oven rack to prevent spilling the filling. Pour filling into pie plate. Cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.
• Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake about 45 minutes longer, removing foil during last 15 minutes of baking, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 4 hours or until chilled.
• In chilled small bowl, beat topping ingredients with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Serve pie topping with whipped cream.

PERFECT PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.

FRESH PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate while preparing filling., Cut pumpkin in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place cut side down in a microwave-safe dish; add 1 in. of water. Cover and microwave on high until very tender, 15-18 minutes., Preheat oven to 425°. Drain pumpkin. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp and mash. Set aside 1-3/4 cups (save remaining pumpkin for another use). In large bowl, combine mashed pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves; beat until smooth. Gradually beat in milk. Pour into crust., Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350°; bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes longer. Cover edge loosely with foil during the last 30 minutes if needed to prevent overbrowning. Remove foil. Cool on a wire rack. If desired, pipe whipped cream around edge of pie using a star tip. Refrigerate leftovers.

SCRATCH PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Wash pumpkin, remove seeds,place in bowl and set aside,(more on seeds later).
• cut pumpkin into pieces small enough to fit into metal colander, or veggie steamer, place into large enough pot so colander fits into it, fill bottom with water (to your second knuckle) put tight lid on pot and bring to boil. When water is boiling reduce to a hard simmer. Fork test for doneness after 1/2 hour, check water level. Repeat every 15-20 minute until done-like your boiled potatoes.
• Drain water carefully, with clamped on lid and potholders.
• Set aside to cool. When cool, place skin side in palm of hand and remove pulp with spoon, spoon into bowl.
• If you want puree type pumpkin, put through sieve, food mill, blender, or food processor. I like mine using the hand potato masher, mashed well.
• Measure out 2 cups pumpkin for pie, put into bowl. Place the rest into freezer containers for later (2 cups for pies) pies and bread or cookies, or as a side veggie.
• Add in bowl sugar, salt, spices, eggs. Mix then carefully add milk and stir.
• Pour into pie shell, foil edges, and place on foiled, cookie sheet and bake 350°F for 50-60 minutes. Give knife clean test. If not clean, bake longer.
• Left over pumpkin pie mix I place into a greased 1 qt.oven proof dish and bake in a water bath like, custard.
• Pumpkin seeds keep the kids busy, let them clean them, do not worry about the strings this is there project. Soak over night in salt water. Heat oven to 300°F; melt some butter (2-3 tsp) on cookie sheet in oven. Place drained seeds on sheet and add pumpkin pie spices and sugar or cinnamon and sugar to taste. Stir every so often- 15-20 minutes, they will stick together, just mash out with your pancake flipper. After about 30-45 minutes they should be done. Give them the "crispy" test. Careful--the hot sugar will burn your fingers.

FROM SCRATCH PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• For the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the stem from the pumpkin and scrape out the insides, discarding the seeds. Cut the pumpkin in half and lay the pieces cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Rub canola oil all over the skin and bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Let cool.
• For the easy pie crust: While the pumpkin is cooking, make the crust. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add in the butter and work into the dough with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in just enough cold water (4 to 5 tablespoons) with a fork just until the flour is moistened. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap one ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another use.
• Roll out the remaining dough ball on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold the overhangs under and crimp decoratively. Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Line the crust with foil, fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake until the sides are set, about 12 minutes. Remove the foil and beans. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• For the filling: Scoop out the pulp from the roasted pumpkin and puree in a food processor until smooth (you should have about 4 cups). Add the condensed milk, cream, cornstarch, molasses, canola oil, cinnamon, ginger, salt and eggs and combine thoroughly.
• Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the filling is set in the center, about 1 hour. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

FROM SCRATCH PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• For the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the stem from the pumpkin and scrape out the insides, discarding the seeds. Cut the pumpkin in half and lay the pieces cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Rub canola oil all over the skin and bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Let cool.
• For the easy pie crust: While the pumpkin is cooking, make the crust. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add in the butter and work into the dough with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in just enough cold water (4 to 5 tablespoons) with a fork just until the flour is moistened. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap one ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another use.
• Roll out the remaining dough ball on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold the overhangs under and crimp decoratively. Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Line the crust with foil, fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake until the sides are set, about 12 minutes. Remove the foil and beans. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• For the filling: Scoop out the pulp from the roasted pumpkin and puree in a food processor until smooth. Add the condensed milk, cream, cornstarch, molasses, canola oil, cinnamon, ginger, salt and eggs and combine thoroughly.
• Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the filling is set in the center, about 1 hour. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
• Decorate with whipped cream before serving, if using.

CLASSIC PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. If using fresh pumpkin, roast pumpkin, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet until soft, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool completely. Roasted pumpkin can be refrigerated in an airtight container overnight.
• Reserve 1/4 of the dough for making leaf decorations. Turn out the remaining dough onto a lightly floured work surface; divide in half. Roll out each half into a 14-inch round. Fit rounds into two 10-inch pie plates; crimp edges as desired. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Roll out reserved dough to 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Using a leaf-shape cookie cutter or a paring knife, cut leaves from dough. Freeze until cold, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Whisk 1 egg and heavy cream in a small bowl; set aside. Brush edges of pie shells with a wet pastry brush; arrange leaves around edges, pressing to adhere. Brush leaves with egg wash. Cut 2 large circles of parchment; fit into pie shells, extending above edges. Fill with pie weights. Freeze until cold, about 10 minutes.
• Bake pie shells 10 minutes. Remove weights and parchment; bake 5 minutes more. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• If using fresh pumpkin, discard seeds. Scoop out flesh using a large spoon; transfer to a food processor. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer pumpkin to a large bowl. Add brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, nutmeg, remaining 6 eggs, and evaporated milk; whisk until combined.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place pies on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide pumpkin mixture evenly between shells. Bake until all but centers are set, 35 to 40 minutes. Let pies cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into wedges, and serve with whipped cream.

HISTORIC, SCRATCH PUMPKIN PIE (NOT AS HARD AS YOU THINK!)

Steps:

• The day before, wash your pumpkin, pierce it 3-4 times to vent steam, and set it into a pan large enough to hold it. (If the pumpkin is very large or if you want the seeds for planting slice the pumpkin in half and bake the halves cut-side-down in a shallow dish.
• Bake it whole at 350 for 1-2 hours depending on size or until the flesh is very soft and the skin color has deepened.
• When cool, separate the flesh from the skin and the seeds. If the flesh seems watery, drain it in a colander.
• Mash the flesh (some breeds of pumpkin have stringy flesh that resists mashing. This will give the pies an unusual texture but does not affect the flavor).
• Prepare your favorite pie crust recipe and line 4, 8-9" pans or 3, 10" deep-dish pans.
• Mix the pumpkin, spices, vanilla, 2 cups of half and half, mollases, and 1/2 cup of sugar together thoroughly.
• Taste to check the sweetness and the balance of flavors. Some pumpkin is sweeter, some not so sweet, some more richly-flavored, some fainter. Add additional sugar until the sweetness is right and add a pinch or two more of each spice if the flavor needs perking up.
• Beat the eggs into the remaining half and half then combine well with pumpkin mix.
• Ladle the mix into the pie shells, being sure to get an equal amount of pumpkin flesh and custard in each.
• Bake at 425 for 15 minutes then at 350 for 40-60 minutes (or more for very large pans or a very full oven) -- until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool on wire racks then refrigerate.
• Serve topped with real whipped cream.
• Note: Because of the molasses and the variability of individual pumpkins the pies are likely to be more brown than the vibrant, even electric orange of a store-bought pie.
• Historical note -- While the modern pumpkin pie is mainly sweet custard with some pumpkin and lots of spices the pumpkin pie of our ancestors was mainly pumpkin, held together with custard, lightly sweetened (perhaps only with a little molasses), and just enough spices to enhance the pumpkin without dominating it. It was actually served more as a vegetable dish than as a dessert and might even be eaten as the main course at lunch or for a light supper.
• This pie is a compromise between the two -- rich with pumpkin but not candy-sweet.