Pumpkin Pie

Name: Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients: 200 g flour; 100 g butter; 5-6 tbsp cold water; 1/2 tsp salt; 400 g pumpkin purée (≈500 g peeled pumpkin); 150 ml heavy cream (any kind); 150 g sugar; 3 eggs; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1 tsp nutmeg; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; zest of 1 orange; pinch of salt; ice cream or whipped heavy cream for serving (optional)

A classic American pumpkin pie, traditionally baked for Thanksgiving. I already mentioned in my Pumpkin Soup recipe that I used to dislike pumpkin entirely, but lately I've been rediscovering it. This time I decided to try my hand at a classic American pumpkin pie. After browsing countless English-language food blogs, you'll find versions of Pumpkin Pie on practically every site — and in every variation imaginable. I figured that if it's that popular in America, I absolutely had to give it a shot. The flavor turned out to be really unique and unlike anything we're used to. The crust is slightly flaky and almost neutral in taste, while the top layer is an incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth spiced filling that's almost like a light custard. You can't taste the pumpkin at all — which I was thrilled about. If you don't tell anyone there's pumpkin in it, no one will ever know.
In addition to the classic pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger), I also added orange zest. The finished pie ended up smelling remarkably like my favorite Carrot Cupcakes — no surprise there, since both use nearly the same blend of spices. To really bring out the warm, spiced flavor of the pie, I highly recommend serving it with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped heavy cream.

Ingredients:

Crust:
200 g flour
100 g butter
5-6 tbsp cold water
1/2 tsp salt
Filling:
400 g pumpkin purée (≈500 g peeled pumpkin)
150 ml heavy cream (any kind)
150 g sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
zest of 1 orange
pinch of salt
Also:
ice cream or whipped heavy cream for serving (optional)

How to cook pumpkin pie

Peel the pumpkin and cut it into chunks. Bring water to a boil in a pot, then add the pumpkin.

Cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is completely tender.

Drain off all the liquid (a colander works best to make sure you remove every drop). Return the pumpkin to the pot, blend thoroughly with an immersion blender until smooth, and let it cool completely.

Make the crust. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Grate the cold butter on a box grater directly into the bowl, or cut it into small pieces (toss occasionally to keep the pieces from sticking together).

Lightly rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips.

Gradually add the cold water and bring the dough together into a ball — don't overwork it. Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.

Make the filling. Zest the orange using a fine grater, avoiding the white pith.

Lightly beat the eggs with a whisk.

Add the pumpkin purée, sugar, and salt, and stir until smooth.

Add the orange zest and spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir to combine; the mixture will darken in color.

Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine. The filling is ready.

Roll the dough out with a rolling pin into a circle slightly larger than your baking pan.

Transfer the dough to the pan (mine is 22 cm in diameter), smooth it out, and press it up the sides to form the crust edges.

Pour the filling into the crust. Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C for 10–15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 170–180°C and bake for another 30–40 minutes.