Pumpkin Pie

With it being so well into September, in my mind, Fall is unofficially upon us! Oh, Fall. How I love thee. The weather gets colder, the food gets hotter... the leaves stay the same color because I live on the West Coast. We have Halloween, my birthday, and Thanksgiving to enjoy. In that order. And, with the new season upon us comes the triumphant return of Winter squash! Namely: the almighty pumpkin. You can cook it, bake it, decorate it, and even put a tiny flame in it. Few things in life are so versatile as the pumpkin.

And so, I'm beginning the season with a Thanksgiving classic. Traditionally (or at least commonly) pumpkin pie filling is made with evaporated milk. My secret ingredient is sweetened condensed milk, and I use it because it makes the filling a lot more dense.Which I prefer to the lighter, more airy alternative.

If you're lazy like me, you can use a store bought pie crust. I do it all the time, and trust me, nobody cares. But if you're so inclined, you can make it from scratch too. I recommend the following recipe, which has always been my favorite: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pate-brisee-pie-dough.

(Sorry for the crappy photo, but, I never claimed to be a photographer.)


Pumpkin Pie

1/2 c. light brown sugar (packed)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 15-oz. can of pumpkin puree
1 14-oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs; lightly beaten
Single pie crust

1. Place the rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, cornstarch, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin, and condensed milk.

2. Gently add the eggs to the mixture, and beat until thoroughly combined. Careful not to beat on a high speed, or you'll whip the eggs and have air bubbles on the surface of the pie.

3. Roll out the pie crust and fit to an ungreased pie pan. Pour the pumpkin filling into the pie shell.

4. Bake the pie for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F, and bake for about 30 minutes more. Don't open the oven door!

The pie will be done when you tap the pan and the center does not jiggle. If the edges of the crust begin to brown, take the pie out of the oven, and cover the edges with tinfoil strips.