We all think about making Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving, but pumpkins are plentiful in October. Now is the time to get the pumpkin ready for the pie That you’ll make later.
You can prep the pumpkin meat and freeze it. When you’re ready to make your pie just thaw it out and add the rest of the pie filling ingredients.
I do this every year. Take my word for it, it’s worth the effort. Canned pie filling can’t compare to making the pie from the pumpkin up!
- Pick a medium small pumpkin.
- Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds with a large metal spoon.
- Cut the pumpkin in pieces and pack them into a slow cooker. Add 3/4 cups water. Place lid on cooker and cook on low several hours until pumpkin is tender. I usually start it before I go to bed and let it cook overnight.
- When done cooking let it cool and then scoop meat away from the rind. Place pumpkin meat into a colander over a large pot. Cover and let it sit for several hours to allow liquid to drain from pumpkin.
- After a few hours, mash the pumpkin lightly with a potato masher. Let it sit a while longer. More liquid will drain off.
- Put pumpkin in a large bowl and use a hand held beater to. Whip into a purée. If you don’t have a beater, you can use a food processor or a blender.
- Return the purée to the colander. And let it drain over the kettle again.
- Once liquid is drained out of the purée, put it in a seal a meal bag or other airtight container and freeze. You should have 2 cups for the pie.
MAKING THE PIE
When you are ready to make your holiday pie, thaw the pumpkin and mix in a mixer with the following ingredients.
- 2 cups mashed, cooked pumpkin
- 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs eggs, beaten
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pour into a prepared deep dish pie crust. Cover the edges of the crust with tin foil or a silicone crust guard and place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil or guard and return to oven for an additional 20 minutes. Pie is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
CRUST
To make your crust cut 1/3 cup of vegetable shortening (I use Crisco) into 1 cup of flour. Add about 1/4 teaspoon salt. I like to use a fork to make sure that the shortening and the flour is finely mixed. Add 3 serving spoons of water to the flour and shortening. You’ll do this one spoonful at a time mixing it into the flour after each addition. I add the water to the edge of the bowl and blend toward the center.Continue mixing. Finish mixing using your hands to bring dough together into a ball.
Place on a floured surface and roll out dough into a 14 inch circle. Place in a deep dish pie pan.