For the past couple of weeks, I have been making anything I can think of with pumpkin. Maybe it's the shortage that got me craving it, or it being October. So far, I've made these unbeatable pumpkin cookies, this healthier chocolate pumpkin bread and these yummy pumpkin muffins. Unfortunately, I was lazy and didn't take any photos of those- believe me, Alex and all his coworkers, any of those recipes are excellent!Last night, I made the above pie. I've been a little intimidated on making a pumpkin pie, and now I have no idea why. It's really not that hard! Oh, and the fact that we've already gone through a few Costco pumpkin pies kind of threw me off course :) This pie is from the cookbook Pie by Ken Haedrich, and is the first recipe I've made out of it. I will definitely be making more of the pies listed, there are so so many it's a bit overwhelming! It's a great book, the perfect guide for ALL aspects of making any kind of pie. If you like cornbread, this pie has a great texture and the flavor is just right!
Spiced Pumpkin Indian Pudding Pie (my version, adapted from Pie)
1 store-bought graham cracker crust
2 cups fat-free milk
1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2- inch pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Combine milk and cornmeal in a medium size saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking frequently. Don't let the liquid reach a rapid boil. As the mixture starts to thicken, continue to whisk nonstop until it reaches the consistency of thin hot cereal, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium-size bowl and whisk in the salt, butter and sugars. Let cool 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Whisk in the pumpkin, vanilla and spices to the above mixture. Add the eggs, whisking to blend. Slowly pour the filling into the pie shell.
Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and roates the pie 180 degrees, so the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward. Continue to bake until the filling is set in the center, about 30 minutes. To check the pie, give it a quick little nudge. It should wobble but not seem soupy in the center.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool. Serve barely warm, or let cool to room temp, cover with foil and refrigerate before serving. Goes great with whipped cream or ice cream!
