Garden Pumpkin Pie

One of my pie pumpkins from the garden had completely ripened, and it was time for pumpkin pie!  The process was very easy, and the taste is soo much better than the canned pumpkin that is most commonly used for pumpkin pie.

To begin with, I washed the pumpkin, and sliced it in half from stem to bottom.

Place it face down in the baking pan, and pour 1 cup water in the pan.

Roast the pumpkin at 350 for about an hour, or until a fork pierces the skin easily. Scoop out the seeds. I gave the seeds to my chickens... they loved them!

Scoop out all of the pulp and place it in a blender.

Blend the pulp until smooth.

Most pie pumpkins will be enough for two pies.  I found that because the pumpkin is fresh it is a bit more watery, and may take longer to cook.  I ended up cooking these fresh pumpkin pies an hour and 10 minutes.

I meant to get a picture of the pie with sweetened cream on it... but it was too good to wait for such silly things as pictures! (Or so my family tells me...)

If there are leftovers, this makes a great breakfast too :)

GARDEN PUMPKIN PIES

Heat oven to 350.  Slice pie pumpkin in half, and place sides down in baking pan.  Add 1 cup water. Bake about an hour or until a fork pierces skin easily. Remove seeds.  Scoop out pulp and set aside. Place pulp in blender, blend until smooth.

1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
4 eggs
3-1/2 cups pureed fresh pumpkin (2 15-oz cans of canned pumpkin will also work)
2 cans evaporated milk
2-crust 9" deep dish pie crusts

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare pie crusts (recipe below) and place in two 9" deep dish pie pans. Mix eggs and pumpkin until smooth.  Stir in sugar and spices.  Slowly pour in evaporated milk.  Pour pumpkin mixture into the 2 pie crusts.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Turn heat down to 350 and continue baking for another 45 minutes.  A knife stuck in the center should come out clean when they are done. Cool on rack for 2 hours.  Serve with sweetened whipped heavy cream (recipe below). Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

TWO PIE CRUST

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening or lard
1 tablespoon white vinegar
5-6 tablespoons ice cold water

In a bowl combine flour and salt, cut in shortening (or lard) until mixture is crumbly.  Sprinkle with vinegar.  Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball can be formed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Divide pastry into 2 balls and roll out to fit the 9" pie plate.  Transfer pastry to pie plate.  Let edges hang over 1/2". Fold top edges of pastry under and flute edges.  Bake as called for in recipe.

SWEETENED WHIPPED HEAVY CREAM

 ~ To take your pie over-the-top to sweet heaven, you need some of this on your pie! ~

1 cup heavy cream (needs to be at least 35% butterfat, pasteurized is fine) 

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar (also known as icing sugar)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pour the cream into a chilled bowl and add the sugar and vanilla.  Beat until soft peaks form (when the cream will be just soft enough to hold its shape in soft billows that hold when the beaters are lifted up). Serve with pie or dessert.