Pumpkin Pie

Pastry

1. Pumpkin pie is easy to make. The whole process can be split into two stages that you do at the same time. The first is making a simple shortcrust pastry from flour and butter. The second is making the pumpkin filling. Then the pie is assembled and baked in the oven. Nothing complicated at all.

   You subconsciously expect pumpkin pie to be bright orange, like the sun. The color of the filling depends on the color of the pumpkin. All kinds of pumpkins are sold, so choose the one that suits you.

   

2. Knead the shortcrust pastry. Sift 2 cups flour (260 g) into a large bowl. Add a pinch of fine salt and 2 tbsp sugar (250 g). Separate an egg yolk from the white. Save the white for another dish and add the yolk to the flour. Melt 100 g butter, not directly on the stove (a water bath works well), and pour it into the flour. At first the dough will be crumbly and fall apart. As you knead, it will become smooth and firm. Roll the dough into a ball and let it rest for 15-20 minutes at room temperature.

   

3. Press the pastry into the pan. Press it by hand into an even layer over the bottom of the pan and up the sides to about 2.5-3 cm high, so all the filling fits and the pie is taller. This amount of dough is enough for a 24-26 cm pan.

   Pies like this pumpkin tart are usually baked in a round pan with a fluted edge. Ideally the pan has a removable bottom — it’s easier to take the pumpkin pie out without the risk of breaking it.

   

Filling

1. Prepare the pumpkin. Cut it in half and scoop out the stringy center with the seeds. By the way, roasted pumpkin seeds were one of my favorite treats as a kid. Peel off the tough skin. Don’t use a ceramic knife for this — you’ll most likely break it. Pumpkin is a very hard vegetable. Mind your fingers and cut the skin away from you. Cut the flesh into large cubes.

2. Cook the pumpkin until soft. Put the cubes in a pot, cover with cold water and set over medium heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes from the moment it boils. The cubes should pierce easily with the tip of a knife.

   

3. Drain all the water at once and let the pumpkin cool to room temperature. Mash the flesh thoroughly with a fork. I wouldn’t use a blender: let the filling be not creamy but fairly coarse, with small pieces clearly visible. It’s up to you, though.

   

4. Mix the filling. As I said, I really wanted the pumpkin pie to be bright orange. So don’t add brown sugar or lots of dark spices to the filling. To the bowl of mashed pumpkin, add 2 tbsp cornstarch (20 g) and 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk (60 g). Make sure the condensed milk is made from real milk, not vegetable fat. Pour in all the remaining white sugar, about 1 cup. Add one whole egg and two yolks. Add cinnamon, vanilla and ground nutmeg to taste, 0.5 tsp ground ginger and 2-3 cloves, ground in a mortar and sifted through a tea strainer. Mix thoroughly until completely smooth.

   

Baking

1. Pour the filling onto the pastry. It has the consistency of a thick fruit kissel — dense but pourable. Ladle it in, not level with the edge of the crust but at least 3-4 mm below. Otherwise the filling may spill over during baking and the pumpkin pie won’t look very presentable. If you have filling left over, it’s better to make a little more pastry and bake small tartlets — then top them with berries and fruit.

   

2. Preheat the oven to 180-190°C and put the pan in. Pumpkin pie bakes for over 30 minutes. In that time the shortcrust bakes through and starts to take on a nice golden color. The pumpkin filling will set, and when you tap the side of the pan it will stop wobbling. That’s the sign the pumpkin pie is done.

   

Serving

1. Let the pie cool completely, then very carefully transfer it to a wooden board or a flat plate of a suitable size. Be careful — shortcrust breaks easily.

2. With a large sharp knife, cut the pie into wedges like a pizza — 4, 6 or more, as you like. Don’t press down on the crust or it will crumble. You need to actually slice, moving the blade back and forth.

   

3. I recommend garnishing the pumpkin pie with a small sprig of mint or green basil. Serve with tea or with whipped cream. The sweet pie also pairs nicely with a dessert wine. It will keep for a while, but it’s best eaten right away while it’s fresh. If you like, you can turn it into a pumpkin tart by arranging berries and pieces of fruit over the filling.