“You may have to skip pumpkin pie,” declares the Miami Herald, citing “the Great Pumpkin Shortage of `09″ as the death knell for your holiday desserts this year.
The Herald may be correct that supermarkets are “sticking little apology notes where canned pumpkin used to be” because stores have run out of the stuff, but that doesn’t mean we have to sit on the sidelines and let Thanksgiving become a hollow shell of its former self. I mean, honestly, skipping the pumpkin pie? Not an acceptable option.
Have people forgotten that such things can be made from scratch?
Baking from scratch is not nearly as daunting as it sounds. And in fact it is actually rather fun. And can be done with kids. And besides, with the great pumpkin shortage, what choice do you have?
So without further ado I bring you a from-scratch pumpkin pie recipe adapted from one of the nation’s most revered chefs and foodies. Any pie from Alice Waters’ excellent cookbook, The Art of Simple Food, will not leave you disappointed.
If you are particularly intrepid, you can even make your own dough (recipe included below), but since I don’t believe there’s a “Great Pie-Dough Shortage of ’09,” you can just as well depend on Sara Lee for that if you’d rather.
So, whip out your wooden spoons, because here it is, Alice Waters’ pumpkin pie extravaganza:
First, make your pumpkin filling:
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin (sweet varieties like Sugar Pie, Long Pie or Cindarella are preferable)
- small amounts of oil or butter, salt, and cream
- 1 cup cream
- 2 teaspoons flour
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- a pinch of fresh-ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons brandy (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves cut-side down on an oiled or parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until the squash is tender throughout, around 90 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool and then scoop the flesh from the peel. Mash with spoon or potato masher. Season with oil or butter, salt and a tad of cream.
In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together 1/4 cup of the cream and the flour and heat until it starts to boil and thickens. Slowly whisk in the remaining 3/4 cup cream, keep whisking until it returns to a boil, then remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the pumpkin puree you’ve just made and the eggs. In another bowl, combine the sugars, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt and pepper. Stir both the spice mix and the thickened cream into the pumpkin mixture. If desired, whisk in the brandy.
Next, make your pie:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the filling into the pie shell* and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the center is almost set. If the edges are browning rapidly, cover the rim with a ring of foil. Let the pie cool completely on a rack before cutting.
*If you are brave and/or enthusiastic, make your own pie dough too:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ice-cold water
- 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Method
Making the dough: Mix the flour and the salt together and then work the butter into the mixture using a pastry blender or your fingertips for 1 to 2 minutes, leaving some of the butter in chunky, irregular pieces. (Or mix for no more than a minute on medium-low speed in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.) Pour in three quarters of the water, stirring continuously with a fork until the dough starts to form clumps. (In the mixer, adjust the speed to low and pour the water down the sides of the bowl, mixing for 30 seconds or less.) Keep adding water if it is needed. Divide the dough into two parts and roll each into a ball. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and flatten them into disks. Let them rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour or longer.
Rolling out the dough: Dough is easiest to roll when it is malleable, but not soft. If it has been chilling for more than an hour, take it out of the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to soften. To roll, take the disk of dough, still in its plastic wrap, and flatten it with your fingers, pinching closed any cracks that form at the edges. Unwrap and place on a floured surface and sprinkle the dough with flour. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough, guiding it from the center of the disk of dough toward the edges, like the spokes in a wheel. As the disk spreads, keep pinching any cracks at the edges together. Once the disk has a 12-inch diameter, line a 9-inch pie pan with it and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Pre-baking the crust: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Take the dough-lined pie pan from the fridge and prick the bottom all over with a fork, making a bunch of little holes. Line the shell with a piece of foil or parchment paper and fill with a layer of pie weights (dried beans or stones work well). Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edge. Take it out of the over and remove the foil and weights. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, until the entire crust is light golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Photo courtesy of Maggie Hoffman via flickr.
