For the crust –
1 cup flour
ÂĽ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons Crisco shortening
Ice water, about 2 tablespoons
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Mix together the flour, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour, until the size of dimes. Then add the shortening. Sprinkle in just enough ice water to bind the dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Sprinkle a pastry mat with flour and roll out the dough. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
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For the filling –
1 ½ cups prepared pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, separated
Âľ cup heavy cream
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In a food processor or electric mixer, combine the pumpkin, spices, sugar, eggs yolks, and cream. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold in the whites to the pumpkin mixture. Pour the batter into the pie dough and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until the filling is set. Serve warm with whipped cream.
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To prepare fresh pumpkin, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and roast on a lined sheet pan until tender, about an hour. Let cool, then scoop out the pulp and puree in a processor until smooth.
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Equipment Needed: pastry blender, rolling mat, flour duster, bench knife, pie plate, rolling pin, whisk, pitting spoon, cream whipper.
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Phyllis Schlafly, my mother, served warm pumpkin pie. She timed dinner not to the turkey (which could easily hold its heat), but to the dessert, which was pumpkin pie. Her pie was always served directly out of the oven. She served warm pumpkin pie with a side of hand whipped cream melting over the pie.
