What’s a pumpkin farmer have to do in the off season but practice making pumpkin pies? Diana Green, who runs the family-owned Pumpkins and More Farms near Louisville (pumpkinsandmorefarms.com), likes this recipe best, but only when she uses sugar pumpkins grown at her place. The difference between a sugar pumpkin and the squash that become jack o’lanterns is all on the inside. Carving pumpkins are stringy and goopy inside. Sugar pumpkins have smoother flesh, are much sweeter and top out at about 5 pounds, which nets enough puree to make two pies. Bake one today and freeze the extra flesh for another day. – Dana Coffield
Pumpkin Pie
Using a fresh sugar pumpkin is the key to a great pumpkin pie. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy matter. Lightly oil the cut sides with vegetable oil (not olive oil.) Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and oil the foil, too. Place pumpkin cut side down on the foil and bake at 325 degrees, until it’s fork tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Let the pumpkin cool, then scoop the insides out and either hand mash or puree in food processor. This recipe is for an 8-inch pie.
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree
1 1/3 cups evaporated milk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. In a large bowl, lightly beat the 2 eggs. Add the pumpkin, then add the dry ingredient mixture. Add the evaporated milk last while you are mixing. Pour into unbaked 8-inch pie shell. Cover the edges of the crust with tin foil or a pie crust cover. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool and serve plain or with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
