From The Garden Pumpkin Pie

You've probably seen those teeny pumpkins in the grocery stores in October labeled pie pumpkins.

I've made pies out of all sizes of pumpkins and have yet to notice a difference between large and small. It is my belief that one reason they are called pie pumpkins is because one small pumpkin equals one pie. They are also supposed to have more sugar. A medium sized pumpkin will make 2 - 3 pies. Don't worry if you don't need that many pies. Later on you'll learn how to preserve leftover pumpkin.

Choose a pumpkin that is a deep orange without any blemishes. I prefer mine nice and round because they are easier to clean but shape does not matter.

Cut your pumpkin in half around the middle. Then scrape out the "innards" thoroughly with a large spoon. Cut out the stem from the top.

Depending on how much time you have you can microwave your pumpkin or roast it. The microwave can do the job in about 20 minutes, while roasting can take up to an hour and a half. I've done this both ways and believe that roasting provides a bit more flavor.

If you use the microwave, you will need to put your cleaned pumpkin into a covered casserole or other suitable covered container. This helps to evenly cook the pumpkin. You may also need to cut your pumpkin halves into smaller sections to fit in the container. Start at 20 minutes on high. then check it with a fork. You want the fork to easily slide into the pumpkin in several spots. If it does, remove to cool. If it does not, cook some more.

To roast your cleaned pumpkin, spray a large rimmed cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place your pumpkin halves cut side down and put into a 375 degree oven. When the skin of the pumpkin is a smoky orange and the pumpkin halves have collapsed, they are nearly done. Test with a fork as above (The skin will be crispy). If not yet done, return to the oven. If close to done, return to the oven but turn the oven off.

Which ever method you use, when your pumpkin is done, set it out to cool.

Scrape the pumpkin "meat" from the skin into a large bowl. If you roasted your pumpkin in the oven, you may find that the meat falls right off the skin.

You can use your pumpkin in any recipe you like. Simply weigh your cooked pumpkin and add as directed.

The basis for this recipe comes from a can of Festal canned pumpkin. I had used this recipe for years before I discovered the wonderful simplicity and flavor of fresh pumpkin. When I lost the recipe, I went and bought a can of pumpkin and added it to my recipe database. Then I donated the canned pumpkin to the local food shelf.

I have modified the recipe over the years.

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
18 oz. pumpkin
1 cup milk (2%, skim or whole)
1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, unbaked

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a food processor, combine salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger, and mix. Add eggs and sugar. Mix well. Add pumpkin and mix until smooth. Add milk and mix well.

Pour pumpkin filling into crust. Bake for 10 minutes at 450. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake additional 40 to 45 minutes until the center has risen slightly and a knife comes out clean.

NOTE: If you do not have a food processor, you can try a blender. Or puree/mash your pumpkin and then mix the ingredients in a large bowl.

Leftover pumpkin freezes well and still tastes better than canned.

Divide your remaining pumpkin into ready to use weights based on your recipe. Add to an appropriate sized container and freeze. When frozen, remove from the container and wrap with plastic wrap and then into a zipper bag. It will keep for a very long time.

I own one of those vacuum baggers. Using this method, your pumpkin will last more than a year.

Folks have posted a few questions. If I know the answer, I will post it here.

What is the volume equivalent of pumpkin in the recipe?

I didn't know the answer but as I am working on two pies at the moment, it was easy to check. The recipe calls for 18 oz. of pumpkin. This came to about 2 cups. In the original Festal recipe, the amount of pumpkin was 15 oz. and that comes to about 1 1/2 cups.

Can you use different colored pumpkin?

I've never tried it. Given the better price of the orange pumpkins and the time involved, I would stick with the traditional pumpkin.

Do I need to use a cookie sheet to bake a pumpkin pie?

My pumpkin pies rarely if ever overflow into the oven floor. But I still use a cookie sheet. It makes handling the pie easier especially when I am usually doing two pies at once.

1 can of pumpkin pie mix is equal to how many real pumpkins/

One small pie pumpkin should be good for one pie (A can is typically 15 oz). I get 3 - 4 out of a medium/large which I am working with today.

What is the difference between a regular pumpkin and a "pie pumpkin"?

I only speculated on the difference when I created this lens, but now have research the answer. Pie pumpkins are also know as sugar pumpkins. They have a higher level of sugar and less water. Again, in cooking, I have not noticed a difference as sugar is added to the pie filling. Once yoou cook a "regular" pumpkin and set the "meat" aside in a bowl, you will have water collect in the bottom. Simply discard and the lower amount of water in a pie pumpkin becomes moot.