Pumpkin Fest Pie: A Recipe by Hope Cognata ’28

Exactly one month ago, folks of all ages swiftly scooped up free pumpkins from a heap of green and orange gourds at Long Lane Farm’s 21st annual Pumpkin Fest. While I found it challenging to choose my favorite feature of the fall festival, pumpkin painting was a clear favorite. The Argus reported that “the farm ran out of pumpkins at around 1:30 p.m., only an hour and a half into the event.”

Many pumpkin painters are likely planning to trash their artworks in the near future, realizing that the squash cannot stay fresh forever. Not content to dump my fall friend so ingloriously—though Thanksgiving is still some weeks away—I opted to live out my Martha Stewart fantasy by whipping up a truly farm-to-table pumpkin pie from scratch. Though I believe it is important to stay critical of the romantic notions and judgment caught up in discussions of homemade versus store-bought food, transforming my charming little pumpkins into a presentable, finished product felt rewarding. Armed with this recipe, I hope anyone wondering what to do with a pumpkin will find both the pie-making process and the result just as sweet as I did.

Ingredients (makes 9” pie): 

• 2 dodgeball-sized sugar pumpkins, or 2 cups pumpkin purée
• 1 and 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup and 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions: 

1. Cut pumpkins straight down the middle; remove seeds. Place halves face-down on a baking sheet. Roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, checking after 40 to 45 minutes. Pumpkins are done when fork-tender. Once cool enough to touch, scrape out flesh with a metal spoon. Press flesh in a fine-mesh strainer with a spatula until it stops releasing liquid. Set aside. 
2. While pumpkins roast, set 9” pie pan in freezer. Combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in large bowl. Quickly cut cold butter into pea-sized or smaller pieces. Use hands to combine butter and dry ingredients until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Drizzle in 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, combining until dough keeps its shape when pressed together. Shape dough into a flat disc, wrap in Saran Wrap or parchment paper and freeze for 5 minutes.
3. While pie dough chills, whisk eggs vigorously until light yellow and frothy. Whisk in 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves. Stir in 1 cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Pour mixture and 2 cups pumpkin puree into blender or food processor, blending until completely uniform.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. After dough has chilled at least 5 minutes, roll it out and shape into the chilled pie pan. Use a fork to poke holes in the bottom and walls of crust. Return crust to the freezer for 10 minutes.
5. Line crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper and fill with uncooked rice, dry beans, or pie weights to weigh down the foil. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove lining and pie weights. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 5 minutes; crust’s bottom should be dry.
6. Reduce oven temperature again to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour blended custard base into the warm, par-baked crust. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. After 40 minutes, open the oven and gently nudge the pie pan to check custard consistency. Pie is ready to remove when the center 1 to 2 inches still jiggle with a gelatin-like wobble. If custard is still too loose, return to oven in 10-minute increments until properly set. If crust edge looks too dark at any point in the process, cover it with foil before returning to the oven.
7. Once custard is fully set, let pie rest on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes. For full chilling, let pie reach warm, near-room temperature before refrigerating, covered, for 4 or more hours.
   1. Quick chilling method: after the initial counter cooling, set the pie pan in a baking sheet of ice-cold water for 15 minutes. Afterward, freeze pie uncovered for 30 minutes. 

Serve with fresh whipped cream, ice cream, or garnish of choice. Pie will stay fresh (and improve in texture) for 3 to 4 days covered and refrigerated. 

Hope Cognata can be reached at hcognata@wesleyan.edu.